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SELECT  WORKS 


OF 


Martin  Untbtv: 


AN 


OFFERING  TO  THE  CHURCH  OF  GOD 


m 


"  THE  LAST  DAYS," 

<i  Tim.  iii.  1 . 


TRANSLATED  FROM  THE  WORKS  OF  LUTHER, 

BY   THE   REV.   HENRY  COLE, 

OF   CLARE    HALL,   CAMBRIDGE, 
AND  LATE   LECTURP.R   OF  WOOLWICH,   KKNT. 


The  memory  of  the  just  is  blessed :  but  the  name  of  the  wicked  shall  rot.  ProT.  7,  7. 

He  being  dead  yet  speaketh.  Heb.  zi. «. 


VOLUME  11. 


fLonBon : 

PRINTED  FOR  THE  AUTHOR,  BY  T.  BENSLET, 
Crane  Court,  Fleet  Street^ 

PUBLISHED    BY   W.  8IMPKIN   AND   R.  MARSHALL, 

stationers'    hall   GOVBT) 
and  sold  bt 

1.  REDES,   NO.  ^,   NEWGATE    STREET. 

1826. 


•       •     • 


•      *    •      • 

'  *      •  w         * 


•  •    •    • 


«  • 


•   • 


EXPOSITION 


OF 


THE   SEVENTEENTH   CHAPTER' 


OF   THE 


GOSPEL  BY  ST.  JOHN. 


VOL.  II.  B 


THE 

PREFACE  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER 

TO 

THE  READER. 


These  my  homilies  concerning  the  prayer  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  which  St.  John  has  delivered  down  to  qs 
in  his  seventeenth  chapter,  I  not  only  saw  with  plea- 
sure printed  and  brought  forth  into  public,  but  my- 
self requested  my  particular  friend,  M.  Caspar 
Cruciger,  to  undertake  the  labour  of  collecting  them 
and  reducing  them  into  a  regular  form,  (for  I  had  not 
time  and  leisure  to  do  it  myself,)  that  he  might  put 
them  into  Ihe  hands  of  others.  For  I  was  fully  per- 
suaded, that  this  crumb  and  this  cup  of  cold  water 
would  he  useful  and  acceptable  unto  godly  Christians 
who  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness  ;  whom  alone 
I  desire  to  serve  in  these  labours.  But  as  to  those  full 
and  over-wise  spirits  who  loathe  my  writings,  they  have 
more  than  enough  already,  and  do  not  want  my  help  ; 
whom  in  this  labour  of  mine  I  do  not  study  to  gratify 
one  jot ;  excepting  it  be,  that  they  might  have  some- 
thing new,  to  furnish  them  with  an  occasion  for  exhi- 
biting some  flaming  specimen  of  their  own  great  teaching 
abilities. — But,  these  homilies  I  commend  to  be  read  by 
all  the  beloved  members  of  Christ,  commending  myseLf 
to  their  prayers.    The  grace  of  God  be  with  us  I 


EXPOSITION 


OF  TBS 


SEVENTEENTH  CHAPTER  OF  THE  GOSPEL 

BY  ST.  JOHN. 


These  words  spake  Jesusy  and  lifted  up  his  eyes  to 
heaven  and  said,  Fat  her  y  the  hour  is  come;  glorify  thy 
Sohj  that  thy  Son  also  may  glorify  thee,  S^c. 

Among  all  the  works  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  we 
ought  to  have  a  desire  to  know  what  state  of  body,  or 
what  gestures  he  used,  when  he  prayed  and  spoke  with 
his  dearest  Father.  For,  in  other  respects,  many  parti- 
culars are  committed  to  writing  and  handed  down  to 
memory, — how  he  preached  when  he  addressed  the 
people,  and  how  he  wrought  his  signs  and  miracles ;  but 
very  few  particulars  concerning  the  manner  in  which  he 
prayed.  But  this  very  manner  is  here  described  in  many 
words,  which  he  made  use  of  in  praying  to  the  Father 
for  his  disciples,  and  which  he  left  them,  as  it  were,  for 
a  memorial ;  which,  nevertheless,  are  not  regarded  by 
them.  Whereas,  iif  the  same  did  not  stand  recorded  in 
writing,  we  should  perhaps  be  ready  to  go  in  search  for 
them  even  to  the  ends  of  the  world,  if  it  were  possible, 
without  weariness.  For  this  ptayer  is  fervent,  and  pro- 
ceeding from  the  inmost  soul;  wherein  he  opens  and 
wholly  discloses  to  us  the  secret  recesses  of  his  own 
heart,  and  the  will  of  the  Father  most  sweetly  inclined 
towards  us.  The  words  of  this  very  prayer,  however,  are 
such,  that  if  heard  in  our  ears  without  the  Spirit,  sound 
like  childish  nothings ;  and  as  having  neither  power  nor 
savour,  nor  being  worthy  of  mention.  For  reason  and 
hiiman  wisdom  accounts  all  those  things  that  are  hot 
sounded  forth  in  grand  and  great  expressions,  and  thajt 


do  not  with  their  grandeur  rivet  the  minds  of  all  with  ad- 
miration, as  nothing  at  all.  But  if  we  could  but  see  an'd 
duly  conceive  of  the  authority  and  greatness  of  the  Maxi 
here  praying,  and  the  majesty  of  him  who  is  prayed  to, 
together  with  the  importance  of  the  things  prayed  for, 
we  should  not  look  upon  them  as  so  trifling  and  worth- 
less, but  should  find,  in  the  plain  proofs  of  felt  experience, 
how  much  power  and  consolation  these  simple  words 
contain. 

For,  Christ  is  here  himself  a  diligent  observer  of  his 
own  rule,  which  he  has  delivered  to  us  concerning  our 
prayers, — that  there  is  no  necessity  for  using  long  and 
pompous  words,  but,  that  simple  words  coming  forth 
from  the  heart  are  the  most  effectual.  Wherefore,  let  no 
one  be  offended  at  this  prayer,  nor  Jet  him  through  sleepy 
unconcern  negUgently  disregard  it,  nor  pass  it  by  with- 
out heed,  as  containing  words  that  are  useless,  or  com- 
monly spoken  by  men.     For  it  may  appear  to  any  one, 
that  he  could  make  a  much  better  prayer ;  whereas,  if 
he  were  to  attempt  it,  he  would  soon  feel  that  the  matter, 
the  words,  and  the  manner  would  fail  him. 

But  the  sum  and  cause  of  this  introductory  head  is 
to  shew,  that  a  good  prayer  ought  to  follow  a  good  ser- 
mon or  discourse :  that  is,  that,  after  the  Word  is  sown 
among  the  people,  we  are  to  groan  and  humbly  beg  of 
God,  that  the  Word  heard  might  be  effectual,  and  might 
bring  forth  fruit.  For  when  Christ  had  discharged  his 
office,  and  had  consoled  and  refreshed  his  disciples  with 
a  long  sermon,  and  had  taken  his  leave  of  them,  it  re- 
mained for  him  to  pray  both  for  his  disciples  and  for  all 
Christians ;  in  order  that  he  might  in  all  things  fulfil  his 
pffice  as  our  high  and  only  JPriest,  and  might  leave  no- 
thing unfinished  that  was  necessary  for  their  confirma- 
tion and  support;  since  he  was  to  leave  them  in  the 
world  behind  him.  And  hence  I  have  ever  sedulously 
testified,  how  necessary  Christian  prayer  is;  without 
which,  faith  cannot  subsist  and  endure. 

For,  those  who  teach,  or  hear,  or  know  the  Word, 
and  yet  pray  not,  sufficiently  declare,  that  they  are  yet 
secure  and  presumptuous,  and  are  as  though  they  neeaed 


not  divioe  grace,  and  see  not  their  necessities  and  perits, 
but  think  uiat  all  their  affairs  shall  be  established,  and 
that  they  have  enough  and  an  abundance  of  all  that 
they  want.  And  then  it  comes  to  pass,  that  the  devil 
creeps  on  them  slily  and  overturns  them  before  they  are 
aware.  It  is  for  this  reason,  that  Christ  by  his  own 
example,  in  his  office  of  teaching  and  prayer,  instructs 
us  to  take  heed  that  the  Word  be  not  preached  without 
fruits.   But  what  power  and  virtue  there  is  in  this  prayer, 

1  fear  I  shall  never  be  able  sufficiently  to  set  fordi :  for 
the  more  simple  the  words  are  in  which  it  is  clothed^  in 
the  more  deep,  rich,  and  fiill  mysteries  does  it  abound ; 
so  that  no  one  can  fully  enter  into  its  contents. 

First  of  all,  when  the  Evangelist  says, 

These  wards  spake  Jesus ^  and  lifted  up  his  eyes  to 
heaven  andsaid^ 

he  gives  an  honour  to  the  using  of  external  gestures 
in  prayer:  whereby  he  stops  the  mouths  of  fanatical 
praters,  who  affirm  that  these  external  things  are  of  no 
moment  But  in  this  place,  you  plainly  perceive  that 
Christ  himself  not  only  prayed  with  his  mouth  for  his 
disciples  to  hear  him,  but  used  certain  gestures,  which 
persons  in  prayer  are  wont  to  use,  of  whom  some  pray 
with  bended  knees,  some  fall  on  their  face  to  the 
ground,  some  stand  and  lift  up  their  eyes  to  heaven : 
and  these  three  forms  or  manners  of  praying  are  all 
exemplified  in  the  scripture.  For  how  King  David  fell  on 
the  earth  and  prayed  for  his  son  seven  days,  is  recorded 

2  Sam.  xii.    And    Christ  himself  prayed  both  on  his- 
knees  and  on  the  earth  in  the  garden.     And  Peter  with 
many  others  cast  themselves  down  at  the  feet  of  the 
Lord.     Again,  Luke  xviii.  speaks  of  standing. 

But  it  matters  not  much,  whether  we  stand,  or  bend 
our  knees,  or  fall  on  the  ground :  for  they  are  external 
forms  that  are  neither  rejected,  nor  commanded  as 
being  necessary  to  be  observed:  and  there  are  many 
other  forms  of  the  same  kind,  such  as  lifting  up  the 
head  and  eyes  to  heaven,  folding  the  hands,  and 
striking  the  breast,  &c.  which  indeed   are  not  to   be 


condemned,  since  Christ  approved  of  them.  Therefore 
Paul  to  the  Ephesians,  speaks  oT  his  prayer  thus,  ^'  For 
this  cause  I  bow  my  knees  unto  the  Father  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ."  And  to  Timothy,  i.  2,  "  I  will  therefore^ 
that  men  pray  every  where,  lifting  up  holy  hands,"  &c. 
Although  I  should  not  think  it  wrong  if  a  person 
prayed  unto  God  even  while  picking  up  sticks,  if  it  were 
but  fix>m  the  heart. 

This  however  is  most  certainly  true,  that  if  there  be 

only  an  acting  like  a  stage-player,  consisting  of  murmuring 

and  vociferation,  just  as  we  have  hitherto  stood  in  the 

churches,  day  and  night  counting  the  grains  of  rosaries, 

(as  they  call  it)  turning  over  the  leaves,  and  howling  in 

the  choir  like  wolves,  that  is  certainly  no  prayer  at  all. 

For  such  prayers  as  these  are  without  the  heart  and  the 

soul,  nor  does  any  one  who  prays  in  this  manner  ever 

once  think  of  asking  or  obtaining  any  thing  from  God. 

But  where  these  gestures  are  used  in  praying,  speaking, 

singing,  or  reading,  with  a  view  to  rouse  the  spirit  that 

it  might  feel  a  pleasure  and  devotion  in  praying,  then 

they  are  good  and  useful.    For  it  is  to  this  end,  that  the 

Psalms  are  appointed  to  be  sung  and  read  daily  among 

Christians,  that  by  the  Word  heard  or  used  bodily,  the 

devotion   may  be    raised   to  speak   forth  or  sigh    in 

prayer. 

Moreover,  we  have  not  a  few  examples  of  this  way 
of  praying,  and  of  these  external  incitements  in  the 
scripture :  as  that  of  the  prophet  Elisha,  2  Kings  iii. 
whose  custom  it  was,  as  we  read,  when  he  found  that  he 
was  not  sufficiently  devout,  ready,  and  alive,  that  he 
caused  a  minstrel  to  be  sent  to  him,*at  the  sound  of 
whose  harp  he  was  revived  and  roused  to  prophesy. 
How  powerful  others  are  in  the  Spirit,  I  for  my  part 
cannot  tell,  but  as  for  myself,  when  I  am  without  the 
Word,  or  do  not  remember  it,  or  am  not  speaking  from 
it,  I  find  Christ  no  where,  see  him  no  where,  and  have 
k)st  all  my  devotion  and  spiritual  mind  too.  But  as  soon 
as  ever  I  propose  to  myself,  any  one  of  the  Psalms,  or 
any  sentence  of  the  scripture,,  then  by  its  light  my 
heart  is  quickened,  and  immediately  another  mind  and 


8 

another  feeling  are  begotten  in  me:  and  I  know  that 
every  one  experiences  the  same  in  himself  daily. 

And  the  cause  of  this  is,  that  which  we  all  find  in 
ourselves, — that  our  ideas  and  thoughts  are  so  slippery 
and  unstable,  that  although  we  begin  to  offer  up  any 
serious  prayer  or  enter  upon  any  meditation  concerning 
God,  without  the  Word  and  the  scripture,  we  generally 
find  that  before  we  can  look  around  us,  our  mind  has 
run  away  from  our  first  thought  above  six  hundred  miles. 
Let  any  one  try  this  if  he  will,  and  then  tell  me  how 
long  he  can  remain  fixed  in  one  thought.  Or  choose  out 
any  one  hour  of  thy  life,  and  promise  to  tell  me  all  thy 
thoughts  during  that  hour.  I  will  be  bound  to  venture 
any  pledge,  that  thou  wilt  be  ashamed  of  thyself,  and  wilt 
be  afraid  to  speak  out  those  things  which  have  happened 
unto  thee,  and  that  men  would  think  thee  worse  than  a 
mad  dog  while  uttering  the  whole,  and  such  as  should  be 
bound  in  chains  :  and  this  has  often  been  my  experience 
even  when  engaged  in  the  best  of  meditations : — so 
shattered  and  depraved  a  thing  is  the  human  heart,  that 
it  is  evident  that  no  water  or  wind  is  so  moveable  and 
unstable. 

I  may  as  well  give  an  example  of  this.  It  is  read 
concerning  St.  Bernard,  who  continually  experienced 
this,  that  at  a  certain  time  he  complained  to  a  particular 
friend  of  the  difficulty  that  he  found  in  praying  rightly, 
and  that  he  could  not  say  the  Lord's  Prayer  once  over 
without  wandering  thoughts.  Which  thing  filled  his 
friend  with  the  greatest  wonder,  who  thought  it  to  be  a 
matter  of  no  such  trouble  and  difficulty.  St.  Bernard 
began  to  say,  that  he  would  offer  as  a  pledge  a  high- 
bred horse,  if  he  would  make  the  trial,  and  would  agree 
to  tell  him  the  truth  of  the  result.  His  friend  refused 
not  the  offer,  hoping  that  he  should  without  difficulty 
accomplish  the  matter,  and  therefore  he  begins  to  pray, 
*  Our  Father,'  &c. ;  but,  before  he  had  got  through  the 
first  petition,  a  thought  came  into  his  mind, — '  But,  if  I 
win  the  horse  I  shall  have  the  bridle  and  saddle  along 
with  him!'  And  in  a  short  time,  he  found  himself 
wandered  away  so  widely,  that  he  was  obliged  to  leave 


off  on  a  sudden,  and  declare  that  Stv  Bernard  had  gained 
his  point,  and  was  ri^t. 

And,  in  a  word^  if  thou  art  able  to  repeat  the  Lord's 
Prayer  without  any  wandering  thoughts,  then  I  will 
adjudge  thee  a  perfect  master  in  this  matter.  I,  for  my 
part,  cannot  do  it :  nay,  I  am  truly  glad,  if  the  inter- 
rupting thoughts  even  go  away  as  they  came. 

I  have  mentioned  these  things,  that  we  may  not  pass 
by  this  text  negligently,  as  the  fanatical  spirits  do,  but 
may  rather  learn  how  much  those  external  words  and 
gestures  serve  and  profit,  as  tending  to  assist  in  collect- 
ing the  thoughts  of  the  heart  that  are  scattered  and 
dispersed,  that  it  might  not  slip  away  and  be  taken  with 
other  things,  and   tnat  we  might   not  stray  from  our 
proper  thoughts  and  wander  out  of  the  way ;  even  as 
we  take  hold  of  a  tree  or  a  wall  with  our  hands  to  sup- 
port ourselves  from  falling.    And  this  is  where  our  fana- 
tical spirits  fail. — They  think  that  all  is  then  excellently 
well  with  them,  when  they  are  enrapt  in  their  sublime 
and  spiritual  thoughts ;  but  they  see  not  that  they  are 
without  the  Word,  and  wandering  entirely  out  of  the 
way.    Wherefore,  beware  of  such  high-flying  tlioughts, 
and  be  assured  within  thyself,   that  nothing  can   be 
transacted  with  God  without  the  external   Word  and 
prayer.   Nevertheless,  a  right  distinction  is  to  be  made ; 
that  is,   that  the  prayer  be  not  altogether  external, 
wherein  nothing  else  but  the  work  itself  is  sought  after, 
and  where  it  is  believed,  that  if  the  prayer  be  only  said  or 
read  it  is  an  excellent  prayer,  although  the  heart  may  not 
have  once  felt  what  the  mouth  was  speaking,  or  have 
thought  what  was  going  on — but,  prayer  must  so  be 
offered  up,  that  the  heart  may  begin,  and  then  the 
words    follow,    accompanied    with    suitable    gestures. 
And,  in  a  word,  the  prayer  that  comes  forth  from  the 
heart  is  good  and  effectual,  with  whatever  gestures  it 
may  be  accompanied. 

Father y  the  hour  is  come :  glorify  thy  Son. 

Here  we  see  the  virtues  of  the  prayer.     First,  there 
are  in  this  prayer  three  principal  things :  and  especially, 

VOL.  II.  c 


10 

that  which  is  of  the  greatest  importance  in  prayer, — 
that  we  give  thanks  unto  God;  and  that,  with  an 
honouring  thanksgiving,,  we  extol  and  enumerate  the 
blessings  he  has  already  bestowed  upon,  us ;  as  Christ 
does  here,  recounting  those  things  which  the  Father  had 
given  him  and  bestowed  upon  him ;  whose  example  we 
ought  also  to  imitate  at  this  day,  and  say,  *  O  Almighty 
and  dearest  Father,  thou  hast  given  unto  us  thy  pre- 
cious and  holy  Gospel ;  wherein  thou  hast  abundantly 
poured  upon  us  unspeakable  grace.'  Then,  are  to  be  in- 
troduced prayers  and  a  mention  of  our  necessity,  ^ Grant 
therefore,  O  dearest  Father,  such  a  portion  of.  grace, 
that  we  may  hold  fast  the  Gospel  which  thou  hast 
thus  communicated  unto  us,  and  may. abide  therein.' 
And  then,  we  are  to  remember  others  in  our  prayers,. 
*  That  he  would  condescend  to  give  his  help  unto  aU.' 

In  this  way  every  prayer  is  to  be  offered  up,  evea 
where  it  is  on  acccMint  of  temporal  necessities,  and 
with  this  exercise  of  the  graces ;  and  also  with  con- 
fession, whereby  we  may  confess  thajb  all  the  blessings 
which  we  enjoy  are  God's;  for  which  cause  also  we 
ought  to  pray,  that  he  would  preserve  and  increase 
them  both  unto  ourselves  and  others.  This  is  the  way  of 
rightly  entering  upon  prayer,  and  of  making  a  proper' 
access  and  approach  whereby  to  gain  the  favour  of  God, 
that  he  might  willingly  and  freely  hear  us.  And  an 
example  of  the  same  kind  you  will  meet  with  also  in 
another  place,  where  he  highly  extols  and  preaches  the 
Father,  and  speaks  forth  a  great  sermon  in  the  midst  of 
his  prayer,  as  it  were ;  as  in  Matt.  xi.  towards  the  end. 

And  thus  he  here  begins, — ^'  Father,  glorify  thy 
Son,  that  thy  Son  may  also  glorify  thee."  These  words 
are  in  appearance  so  trifling  and  simple,  that,  in  the 
judgment  of  human  ears,  th^  do  not  seem  to  be  worth 
a  straw ;  but  who  can  by  searching  find  out  unto  the  full 
the  weight  of  the  matter  contained  iff  them,  and  the 
solemnity  with  which  they  were  uttered  by  Christ  ?  The 
meaning  of  them  is,  briefly  this :  —  *  I  entreat  the 
O  Father,  to  glorify  me."  But  not  content  with  this  he 
adds, — '  that  I  also  may  glorify  thee.' 


I 

\ 


1  li 

Toi*^  ^orifyj"  signifies  to  praise,  to  extol,  and  16^ 
magnify  and  malce  of  great  fame ;  that  his  name  and 
fame  Inay  become  every  where  renowned,  and  may  be 
spoken  of  and  hbnoarea  by  all.     But  in  this  expre^ion, 
hb  shews  in  what  a  situation  he  is  now  placed,  and  with' 
what  a  necessity  he  is  now  urged  to  put  up  this  prayer.'^ 
The  hour,  (as  he  would  say,)  is  how  approaching,  and 
is  at  hand,  in  which  I  atn  to  suffer,  and  to  die  a, death' 
the  most  ignominious  of  all  deaths;  by  which,  all  my 
r^iown,  the  splendour  of  my  life  and  name,  and  my  dig- 
nity, will  be  obscured  and  darkened.     For  Christ  had* 
now  done  great  things,  had  preached  with  great  autho- 
rity, had  wrought  most  miraculous  signs,  and  had  given^ 
a  splendid  proof  of  his  excellency,  so  that  he  in  just 
right  deserved  to  be  praised,  honoured,  and  adored  by^ 
all.  Whereas,  he  meets  with  just  the  contrary :  and  instead  • 
of  having  honour  aiid  glory  shewn  and  given  unto  himj- 
he  is  loaded  with  ignominy  and  disgrace.     For  be  is 
compelled   to  hang  on  the  cross,  to  die  between  two* 
thieves  as  the  worst  and  most  abandoned  of  malefactbri^ 
that  ever  the  earth  produced,  and  to  be  treated  with 
greater  ignominy  and  turpitude  than  any  criminal  was 
ever  treated. 

For  the  most  part,  the  world  has  that  feeling  of  hu- 
manity, that,  when  even  the  most  depraved  and  desperate 
mffians  and  murderers  are  led  to  punishment,  there  is  no 
one  who  does  not  pity  their  state,  grieve  for  tfieir  misery, 
and  feel  sorrow  for  them.     Biit,  Christ  the  Saviour  of 
the  world  is  the  only  one  who  is  destined  to  see  his 
death  a  matter  of  gratification  and  joy  to  all.    Nor  were 
the  Jews,  even  when  they  had  had  all  their  hearts*  desire 
in  putting  him  brutally  to  death,  satisfied  after  all.    And^ 
ia  a  word,  there  was  no  one  engaged  in  the  scene,  who 
did  not  think  that  the  highest  and  most  acceptable  ser^ 
vice  would  be  done  unto  God,  and  the  world  reduced  to 
safety  and  tranquillity,  if  this  man  were  killed  and  taken 
out  of  the  way.     For  they  considered  hii?a  to  be  the 
most  pernicious  and  poisopous  worm   that  ever  wa5 
upon  the  face  of  the  eartli,  and  worthy  to  suffer  every 
bitterness,  affliction,  and  fdague. — And  this  was  indeed 

cS 


18 

tbrustniK  that  ever  worthy,  glorious,  and  great  Man 
into  darknesftv  Thus  was  Christ,  the  light  and  salvation 
of  the  whole  world,  to  be  received  and  honoured  by  the 
world ! — be  was  excommunicated  and  thrust  out  of  the 
world  like  the  worst  of  devils !  And  so  it  is  even  unto  this 
day.  The  Jews  still  go  on  to  611  up  the  measure  of  their 
&tners :  for  they  would  rather  bear  any  kind  of  bitter- 
M68,  yea,  even  all,  the  devils  together,  than  hear  the 
name  of  Christ  and  of  his  mother  Mary  mentioned. 

And  it  fares  the  same  with  our  Gospel.    For  there  is 
no  devil,  no  pest,  no  destruction,  against  which  the  Pope 
and  his  sects,  together  with  all  our  enemies,  are   so 
much  enraged,  as  against  our  Gospel  and  doctrine. 
.  These  must  be  condemned,  execrated,  devoted  to  the 
furies,  and  excommunicated :  so  that  nothing  is  to  be 
asttemed  more  infamous,  ignominious,  and  detestable, 
than  Christ  and  the  Gospel.     This  is  what  Christ  says, 
^  the  hour  is  come,"  or,  the  hour  is  at  hand.     For  he 
prays  with  such  a  feeling,  and  so  urgently,  as  though  he 
were  now  hanging  on  the  cross,  and  wished  to  say,  I  am 
now r  in  the  midst  of  ignominy  and  death,  and  lie  buried 
in  the  deepest  darkness ;  now  the  time  is  come  for  thy 
delivering  me,  that  thou  mightest  exalt  me  and  raise  me 
to  honours,  now  that  the  light  of  my  glory  is  so  utterly 
darkened,  and  the  world  tramples  me  under  their  feet, 
and  all  hate  and-  spurn  me,  so  that  I  have  no  help  or 
counsel  whatever,  but   thy  caring  for  me  and  under- 
taking my  cause.    For,  that  I  may  escape  from  the  jaws 
of  death  and  from  the  power  of  the  devil,  who  is  the 
]Mrince  df  darkness,  an  eternal,  omnipotent,  and  divine 
power  must  be  put  forth. 

And  how  was  this  glorification  accomplished? 
Surely,  when  the  Father  raised  him  again  from  the 
dead,  laid  the  devil  at  his  feet,  and  made  him  King  and 
Lord  over  all  creatures ;  and  when  he  ordained  all  these 
things  to  be  spread  abroad  and  proclaimed  by  the 
Gospd,  to  the  intent  that  they  might  be  openly  shewn 
to  the  whole  world.  And  even  as  this  once  took  place 
at  the  feast  of  the  passover,  so  will  it  be  preached 
milo  the  end  of  time,  that  it  might  be  known  unto  our 


IS 

children   and  our  children's  cfaildreii    throughout   all 
generations. 

That  thy  SofP  also  may  ghrify  thee^ 

Here,  in  this  particular  expression  in  the  exercise  of 
his  graces,  "  thy  Son,''  he  at  once  discloses  himself; 
wherein  he  confesses  and  glories,  that  he  is  the  Son  of 
God,  and  has  all  things  from  the  Father ;  which  same 
particular  he  shortly  after  unfolds  in  more  fiill  expres- 
sions. He  is  the  Son  of  God  from  everlasting,  in  the 
same  majesty,  power,  and  honour:  but  now  in  the 
world,  he  is  in  exile,  in  infirmity,  in  death,  in  ignominVr 
as  though  deserted  by  his  Father  and  by  all  men.  The 
world  plies  all  its  powers,  efforts,  endeavours^  and 
labour,  and  the  devil  directs  all  his  arts  and  devices,  to 
bring  him  to  nothing,  and  that  no  remembrance  of  hioi 
might  remain ;  as  it  is  said  in  the  Psakn,  '^  When  shall 
he  die,  and  his  name  perish  ? "  thinkfng,  that  all  was  at 
an  end  with  him  when  he  hung  on  the  cross  and  was 
dying.  And  therefore  it  is>  thatlie  thus  prays,  *  I  know^ 
0  Father,  that  I  came  into  the  world  by  thy  mission, 
and  that  therefore,  thou  wilt  not  suffer  thy  Son  to  remain 
buried  in  his  darkness.  Wherefore  be  thou  pleased  to 
glorify  me,  not  that  I  might  thereby  please  myself,  but 
do  it  for  thine  own  honour  and  glory.' 

For  he  was  for  that  end  sent  into  the  world,  that  he 
might  proclaim  the  praise  and  glory  of  the  Father  far 
and  wide  with  the  loudest  voice.  And  hence,  he  alone  is 
that  Man,  by  whose  preaching  the  Father  is  to  be  known 
and  honoured^  If  he  therefore  had  not  been  honoured^ 
the  dignity  and  glory  of  the  Father  also  would  have 
been  obscured  and  extinguished.;  nay  would  have  re.- 
mained  buried  with  him  in  disgrace  and  ignominy;,  (for 
whatever  the  Son  suffers,  the  same  ako  must  the^Fadier 
bear  and  suffer;)  and  from  this,  the worfiL would  have 
taken  an  occasion  to  revile  and  accuse. — ^  Lo!  where 
is  now  this  God,  and  his  Father  in  whom  he  gloried 
^vith  so  much  boasting  f  How  excellently  has  he  upheld 
him!'  Therefore,  that  there  mig|at  be  no  place  for  such 
reviling  and  blasphemingi,  the  strength  and  power  of  the 


14 

Father  were  to  \^  diisplayed  'In  glorifying  his  Son ;  and 
the  Son  was  to  be  made  manifest  in  so  much  honour, 
that  the  whole  world,  with  all  their  prepared  ignominy 
and  disgrace,  should  be  compelled  to  fall  down  at  his 
feet  and  adore  hiiQ ! 

And  at  length,  the  Father  is  glorified  by  the  Son. 
Tliat  is,  iie  is  made  known  and  preached,  as  being  able 
to '  bring  help  in  infirmity,  in  death,  in  ignominy ;  and, 
,  out  of  them  to  bring  strength,  life,  honour,  and  glory ; 
which  then  began  to  be  done  when  Christ  arose  from 
the  dead  unto  his  glory,  and  ascended  into  heaven,  and 
sent  down  his  Holy  Spirit ;  and  which  still  continues  to 
be  done  by  his  permitting  his  Gospel  to  be  preached  far 
and  wide,  as  long  as  the  world  shall  stand.  For  this  is 
the  office  of  the  Holy  Spirit  —  to  manifest  by  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel,  how  great  and  unspeakable 
things  God  has  done  for  us  through  Christ — that  he  has 
delivered  us  from  sin,  death,  and  the  power  of  the  devil, 
and  l)a^  received  us  into  his  grace  and  protection,  anc 
whAlty  giveniiim'self  unto  us ! 

[  And  such  a  glorifying  or  magnifying  were  just 
as  necessary  for  3ie  Father,  as  for  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  himself.  For  if  we  consider  the  Father,  we 
shall  see  that  he  was  as  deeply  immersed  in  darkness 
and  hidden  from  the  world,  with  respect  to  the  glory 
and  honour  of  his  name,  as  Christ  himself  was  when 
hanging  upon  the  cross.  For  what  was  the  state  of 
things  at  that  time  in  the  world  ?  All  wras  full  of  impious 
and  blasphemous  idolatries;  so  much  so,  that  there 
were  some  who  worshipped  the  sun  and  the  moon,  and 
even  fishes  and  birds ;  and  the  most  holy  name  of  the 
divine  Majesty  had  to  endure  seeing  adoration  paid 
to  his  creatures,  but  none  to  himself.  Nay,  the  Jews 
feven,  who  were  called  the  people  of  God,  practised  their 
idolatries  .under  his  name,  by  trusting  in  their  own 
works  and  righteousness. 

And  the  same  is  going  on  at  this  day  :  for  every  one 
forms  to  himself  a  God  according  to  his  own  imagina- 
tions, under  various  kinds  of  a  false  worship  of  God, 
and  each  under  a  form  of  godliness :  not  to  mention 


didse  open  and  atrodoub  blasphemies  against  God  with 
which  die  world  is  wholly  filled.  Wherefore,  there  is  the 
fflreateat  need  to  pray  that  the  Father  may  be  ^orified ; 
mat  is,  that  he  may  be  known  by  the  preaching  of  the 
Gospel,  and  be  thereby  honoured  as  he  desires  and 
ought  to  be  honoured ;  that  all  erroneous  doctrines  and 
fidse  worshippings  of  God,  together  with  all  human  trar 
ditions  and  dreams,  may  cease  and  be  abolished';  and 
tiiat  the  Gospel  alone  may  prevail  and  shine. 

From  fliis  view  of  things  you  may  see,  how  the 
heart  of  the  Lord  Christ  bums,  and  with  what  ardent 
feelings  of  his  inmost  soul  he  utters  this  prayer. — It 
grieves  him  that  the  most  holy  name  of  God  should  be 
obscured  in  such  darkness,  and  that  the  whole  world 
should  lie  in  unbelief  and  blindness  of  mind :  and  so 
deeply  does  he  griieve,  that  he  desires  speedy  death^ 
and  to  endure  every  kind  of  insult  and  ignominy,  so 
that  the  honour  of  the  Father's  name  might  be  vindi- 
cated, and  his  glory  brought  forth  to  the  light. 

But,  as  I  have  already  observed,  the  Father  cannot 
be  glorified,  unless  the  Son  be  first  glorified.  That  is, 
unless  the  Holy  Spirit  first  come  and  preach  the 
Gospel,  with^t  which,  no  one  can  know  the  Father. 
For,  before  that,  he  can  only  be  preached  and  known  as 
a  rewarder  and  dealer  in  good  works,  and  as  one  who  is 
to  look  upon  us  according  to  our  religion  and  holiness. 
But  this  is  to  praise,  not  the  Father,  but  ourselves  and 
our  own  merits.  Whereas,  when  Christ  diesires  to  be  glo- 
rified by  the  Father,  and  to  glorify  the  Father  in  return, 
it  is,  that  men,  leaving  all  confidence  in  themselves, 
should  glory  only  in  his  grace  and  benefits. 

Such  words  as  these,  therefore,  does  Christ  speak 
for  our  sakes,  to  strengthen  our  faith  against  the 
greatest  ofience  that  can  be  opposed  to  the  Gospel  in 
4e  world.  For  it  brings  no  small  grief  to  Christians, 
that  they  hear  and  see  the  name  of  God  blasphemed 
and  insulted  on  every  side,  while  he  himself  also  per- 
mits his'  Christians  to  be  oppressed  by  persecutions  and 
driven  to  every  extremity,  and  so  carries  himself  as 
though  he  could  not  bring  them  any  help,  or  would  not, 


16 

in  order  that  the  world  might  fiercely  triumph  over 
them  and  shout  the  song  of  victory.  Hence  it  is,  that 
Chjist  not  pnly  prays  for  himself,  but  that  he  fnight  be 
glorified  in  all  and  by  all  that  believe  in  him,  and  that 
he  might  gjorify  the  Father :  who,  being  g^ned  over 
and  softened  by  this  prayer,  still  now  and  then  displays 
the  same  power  in  Christians  which  he  openly  mani- 
fested in  Christ  himself;  to  the  intent,  that  as  he  was 
glorified  by  him,  so  also  he  might  be  glorified  by  us. 

Therewre  although  we  may  suffer  many  afflictions, 
and  may  die  for  his  Word's  sake,  yet,  through  this  igno- 
miny of  death,  this  turpitude,  and  this  bitterness,  we 
shall  pass  away  into  eternal  glory.     On  the  other  hand, 
our  enemies,  although  they  now  rule  and  lord  it  over 
all  things,  shall  at  last  be  cast  down  from  on^high,  and 
shall  ignominiously  so  away  into  eternal  disgrace.     And 
this  has  been  abunaantly  fulfilled  in  the  most  evident 
examples;  and  the  same  has  been  testified  by  expe- 
rience down  from  the  times  of  the  apostles  in  many 
martyrs.     And  John  Huss  also  was  most  ignominiously 
condemned  in  the  council  of  Constance,  and  put  to 
death ;  yet  he  has  obtained  these  honours ; — the  Word 
which  he  taught  has  openly  come  forth  and  now  shines 
throughout  the  world,  condemning  and  shaming  Popery 
with  all  its  honours,  pomp,  and  riches. 

And  the  same  also  shall  come  upon  all  our  enraged 
enemies  who  wish  to  suppress  the  Gospel  and  to  extir- 
pate Christians,  a  great  part  of  whom  they  have  already 
burnt  and  murdered.  For,  kings  and  potentates  much 
more  powerful  and  fierce  than  they  are,  have  come  to 
destruction,  and  have  been  hurled  headlong  to  perdi- 
tion for  the  Gospel's  sake,  which  tliey  would  not  endure ; 
in  a  comparison  with  whom,  all  the  princes  of  this  day 
would  appear  but  as  the  common  beggars  of  the  street. 
How  often  was  the  Roman  empire  terribly  laid  waste, 
plundered,  harassed,  and  overthrown,  at  the  times  when 
it  thought  itself  the  most  powerful  and  most  secure, 
while  it  knew  not  how  to  cease  from  blaspheming  and 
raging,  and  venting  its  fury  against  Christians,  and  from 
shedding  their  blood  ?   And  all  those  tyrants  arid  perse- 


i 


17 

cators,  to  a  mas,  fell  by  a  base  and  igocuniiiiotts  death : 
so  that  now,  nothing  is  more  disgustful,  impure,  detes*- 
table,  and  contemptible,  than  the  sound  of  their  names ; 
whereas,  the  names  of  the  holy  martyrs  shine  and  are 
held  in  honour.  And  why  ? — ^This  prayer  is  heard,  and 
has  weight  and  poorer  with  God,  breaking  in  pieces  all 
the  rage  and  power  of  the  whole  world.  And,  in  a 
word,  as  this  glorifying  or  magnifying  began,  the 
same  power  and  effects  does  it  still  shew  forth  in 
Christendom,  through  the  influence  and  efficacy  of  this 
prayer. 

This  also  is  to  be  observed  from  this  passage —  that 
Christ  hereby  declares  of  himself,  that  he  alone  is  that 
Mai\  through  whom  the  Father  is  to  be  glorified.     By 
this,  he  wishes  to  take  from  the  Jews,  his  people,  who 
had  the  law  and  the  worship  of  God,  their  glory,  and 
their  boasting  in  their  own  righteousness ;    that  they 
might  know,  that  neither  of  these  things  contain  that 
wtereby  the  Father  can  be  glorified,  or  whereby  any 
one  can  attam  unto  the  knowledge  of  grace,  and  unto 
that  righteousness  which  will  avail  before  God.     For  if 
the  glorifying  and  knowledge  of  God  could  have  been 
known  and  revealed  by  the  law,  there  would  have  been 
no  need  of  the  coming,  the  preaching,   the  suffering; 
and  the  death  of  Christ,  much  less  would  they  have 
been  necessary  that  he  might  glorify  the  Father.     And 
by  this  same  saying,  he  also  benefits  us;  that  we  might 
learn,   in  what  way  God  must  be  sought  and  appre- 
hended by  us,  if  we  would  do  it  aright,  and  how  we  are 
to  hold  communication  with  him. — For  to  glorify  the 
Father,  (as  I  have  already  observed,)  is  to  know  and 
to  apprehend  who  he  is,  and  how  his  will  is  inclined 
towards  us.     Unto  this  knowledge,  no  one  can  attain  or 
arrive,  but  through  Christ;  for  he  will  manifest  himself 
no  where  hut  through  and  in  him,  so  as  for  us  to  dis- 
cover his  heart  and  will. — In  Christ  we  see  nothing  but 
ineffable  love,  and  inexhaustable  grace;   and,  on   the 
contrary,  out  of  him,  nothing  but  wrath  and  indigna- 
tion, or  that  in  which  there  is  no  mercy.     And,  to  sum 
up  the  whole  in  a  few  words,  whoever  seeks  God,  or  do- 


18 

sires  to  serve  him,  otli^rwise  than  in  Christ, — that  man 
will  not  find  God,  nor  serve  the  true  God  ! 

Wherefore,  I  have  continually  protested  and  de- 
dared,  that  whoever  desires  to  walk  safely,  must  beware 
of  all  those  high  imaginations  and  contemplations, 
whereby  we  attempt  to  seek  God  in  the  divine  majesty 
without  any  medium,  and  wish  to  search  into  his  works^ 
will,  and  counsel,  and  then  run  away  with  soiae  very 
deep  and  especial  revelations;  because,  by  such  we  are 
BOt  only  deceived  and  seduced,  but  carried  away  and 
precipitated  headlong  into  an  abyss.  And,  it  is  upon 
this  account  that  all  other  doctrines  and  faith  through- 
out the  whole  world  are  damnable,  of  what  kind  soever 
they  may  be,  whether  of  Jews,  Turks,  monks,  popes, 
bishops,  and  all  the  rest  of  them,  who  serve  God  for 
the  sake  of  obtaining  grace,  and  wiping  out  their  sins 
through  some  other  medium  than  through  Christ ;  that 
is  ito  say,  through  their  own  works,  or  their  singular 
devotion  and  their  spiritual  thoughts.  For  it  is  irrevo- 
cably decreed  of  God,  that  he  will  not  be  known  nor 
found,  out  of  the  one  Mediator,  Christ.  Therefore, 
where  Christ  is  not,  there  the  true  God  is  not,  nor  the 
true  worship  of  God. — But  of  this  we  shall  say  more 
hereafter. 

As  thou  hast  given  him  power  over  alljlesh^  that  he 
should  give  eternal  life  to  as  many  as  thou  Hast  given 
him. 

In  these  words  he  embraces  the  second  and  third 
parts  of  his  prayer :  for  he  both  gives  thanks  unto  the 
Father,  and  shews  what  the  Father  had  given  him,  i& 
the  reason  why  he  extended  his  prayer  over. the  whole 
world.  For  you  plainly  hear,  that  he  did  not  pray  for 
himself  that  he  might  have  all  the  glory  to  himself,  but 
that  he  might  benefit  £^id  serve  us  tinto  our  attainment 
of  eternal  life.  And  it  is  on  this  account  that  he  glories^ 
that  power  is  given  unto  him  of  the  Father  over  all 
flesh ;  that  is,  over  all  who  are  in  the  earth,  the  great^ 
the  mighty,  the  possessors  of  wealth,  and  the  highest  in 
honour ;  and  that  his  design  is^  and  that  he  is  able,  to 


19 

londurfais  miserable  ^followers  who  cleave  unto  him  and 
vho  iBtre  loaded  with  shame  and  ignominy,  so  highly,  as 
'JO  bring  them  to  the  eDJoyment  of  an  eternal  and  im« 
nottal  life. — I  have  (saith  he)  all  kings,  and  princes, 
ind  whatsoever  liveth  in  the  flesh,  in  my  hand,  that  I 
might  have  it  in/  my  power  to  deliver  my  Christians  fitmi 
sin,  death,  and  all  evils ;  nor  is  any  thing  wanting,  ex- 
cept that  this  is  not  !yet  made  manifest  while  I  thus  re* 
main  m  this  infirmity  and  ignominy ;  wherefore,  I  pray, 
that  thou  wouldst  ^orify  ine,  that  I  might  be  able  to 
make  this  plain  and  openly  manifest. 

Here,  then,  Centres  eh  our  hope,  consolation,  and 
trust— that  we,  who  believe  in  Christ  and  cleave  to  his 
word,  are  his  own,  whom  the  Father  gave  unto  him  as 
his  peciiHar  portion.  And  Christ  'has  undertaken  the 
care  of  us  to  defend  and  keep  us;  that,  how  high  soever 
the  world  may  be  above  us  in  honour,  in  dignity,  in 
glory,  and  ih  power,  yet,  it  might  still  be  compelled  to 
remain  iii  the  powerful  hand  of  Christ,  that  it  might  not 
be  able  to  hurt  us,  and  that  the  more  determinately  and 
deeply  it  may  oppress  us,  he  might  with  the  greater  dis- 
play  of  power  bring  us  forth  into  eternal  life. 

Therefore,' our  hands  should  be  lifted  up  without  in- 
termission, and  God  be  unceasingly  praised,  and  thanks 
be  rendered  unto  him,  that  he  has  condescended  to 
make  us  of  that  number  of  those  who  are  "  his  own :" 
since  we  knbw,  that  we  have  his  Word,  and  for  its  sake 
suffer  persecution  and  have  the  world  our  enemy :  for 
he  that  is  certain  and  persuaded  of  this,  ought  to  enter- 
tain no  doubt  that  he  is  of  that  flock  for  whom  eternal 
I  life  is  prepared  and  ordained. 

And  finally,  you  may  draw  this  inference  and  con- 
dusion — ^that,  since  it  is  the  work  and  gift  of  Christ  that 
we  should  be  brought  unto  eternal  life,  it  will  certainly 
80  be,  that  the  whole  world,  with  all  their  wisdom, 
power,  dignity,  and  honours,  will,  for  our  sakes,  fall  into 
everlastmg  shame,  and  that  our  weakness  and  helpless- 
ness will  be  exalted  to  inestimable  glory,  And  thisy 
Christ  mdde  abunbantly  manifest  in  his  enemies  when 
he  arose  from  the  deepest  ignominy  to  the  highest  glory. 


20 

For  he  exposed  all  their  glorying  and  boasting  in  their 
own  righteousness  and  holiness,  (from  their  reliance  on 
which  they  persecuted  Christ,)  to  everlasting  shame  and 
contempt.  For,  since  it  is  most  certain  that  he  alone  is 
Lord  of  the  heavenly  kingdom  and  of  eternal  life,  it 
follows  without  a  doubt,  that  the  world  who  persecute 
both  him  and  his  Christians,  cannot  attain  unto  it, 
although  they  desire  with  a  foolish  presumption  of  miqd 
to  become  partaker  of  it  by  great  efforts,  and  by  their 
own  powers  and  works.  And  where  Christ  freely  gives 
eternal  life,  there,  of  necessity,  must  be  eternal  great- 
ness and  glory;  and  on  the  contrary,  where  (^hrist 
gives  not  eternal  life,  there  can  be  nothing  else  but  eter* 
nal  shame,  ignominy,  and  contempt. — Wherefore,  know- 
ing these  things,  let  us  suffer  our  enemies  to  blaspheme 
and  revile  as  long  as  they  can,  since  the  rage  and  fury 
of  their  reviling  will  shortly  come  to  an  end  :  for  neither 
thirty,  nor  forty,  nor  sixty  years,  are  to  be  compared  to 
eternity,  even  as  the  twinkling  of  an  eye  is  not  to  be 
compared  to  the  whole  of  this  life  which  we  live  upon 
earth. 

But  observe  what  words  John  here  uses,  who  has  a 
particular  manner  of  confirming  this  article  above  the 
r«st  of  the  Evangelists, — that  Christ  is  truly  God 
equally  with  the  Father.  For  these  words,  "  As  thou 
hast  given  him  power  over  all  flesh  that  he  should  give 
eternal  life,"  &c.  will  not  admit  of  the  conclusion  that 
he  is  only  man  :  for  such  power,  even  of  ruling  over  all 
flesh  an4  of  giving  eternal  life,  can  be  given  to  no  crea- 
ture ;  a  creature  can  receive  and  lay  hold  of  eternal  life, 
but,  to  give  eternal  life  unto  others,  is  the  work  and 
power  of  God  alone.  For  the  angels,  although  they 
enjoy  immortality,  yet  cannot  communicate  the  same  to 
any  other.  When  therefore  Christ  confesses  that  he  has 
the  power  of  giving  eternal  life  unto  his  own,  and  that 
he  has  received  the  same  from  the  Father,  he  indicates 
with  sufficient  clearness,  that  he  is  of  the  same  power 
and  essence  with  the  Father,  though  their  persons  are 
different. — And  that  he  might  set  this  still  more  clearly, 
before  our  eyes,  he  adds, 


21 

•  '       •         •  ^  ■         'I. 

And  this  is  life  eternal,  that  theyi  might  knew  thee 
e  one  true  God^  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  thou  hast 
fit. 

In  these  words,  Christ  shews  what  eteraal  life  i^, 
id  what  the  nature  of  it  is.  For  since  he  testifies  that 
;  has  received  the  power  to  give  eternal  life ;  some  one 
ay  ask,  in  what  eternal  life  consists,  or,  how  we  can 
ceive  it.  To  this  objecting  inquiry,  Christ,  by  a  cer- 
in  anticipation,  gives  an  answer ;  and  says,  ^  Eternal 
Fe  is  thus,  and  my  disciples  shall  receive  it  in  this  way, 
-"  that  they  might  know  thee  the  one  true  God,  and 
5SUS  Christ  whom  thou  hast  sent."  *  This  passage  was 
3werfully  brought  forward  by  the  fathers  and  teachers 
f  old  against  the  heresy  of  the  Arians,  who  denied  the 
ivinity  of  Christ,  and  the  passage  is  indeed  beautiful 
ad  incontrovertible. 

Every  Christian,  indeed,  ought  to  give  all  diligence 
)  read  ov6r  the  Gospel  of  St.  John  most  carefully 
jain  and  again,  in  order  that  he  may  rightly  compre- 
end  and  understand  it,  and  may  arm  and  fortify  him- 
df  with  such  mighty  scriptures,  on  account  of  the 
eresies  that  will  come.  For  in  every  age,  the  Jews,  the 
urks,  and  the  heretics,  have  fought  against  this  article ; 
nd  the  same  devil  is  beheld  in  many  at  this  day ;  and, 
nay  God  avert  such  an  evil !)  if  he  could  find  an  oppor- 
mity  and  the  power  of  breaking  forth,  he  would  burst 
)rth  directly  with  intolerable  fury. 

Wherefore,  let  him  who  would  walk  safely,  flee  and 
void  all  those  things  which  natural  reason  and  human 
houghts  are  accustomed  to  advance  concerning  this 
uticle ;  for  there  is  no  counsel  or  wisdom  that  can  avail 
igainst  the  seducing  delusions  of  the  devil,  nor  any 
hing  but  our  having  a  steady  faith  in  the  plain  and 
ample  words  of  the  scripture,  not  at  all  relying  upon  our 
wn  thoughts  and  speculations ;  but  saying,  *  Whatever 
Christ  has  said  must  be  true,  although  it  may  be  beyond 
flie  comprehension  of  me,  or  of  any  otHer  mortal,  how  it 
can  be  true.  He  knows  well  what  he  himself  is,  and  how 


to  speak  of  himself/  He  that. does  not  this,  stumbles  and 
falls  into  6rro)ns;  and  at  fast  rushes  headlong  to  perdition., 
Forij  it' is  utterly  impossible  tliat'  hmnan'  reason  should 
apprehend  even  the  least  article  of  faith.  Nor  can  any 
mortal  have  any  right  thought  or  sure  l^nowl^ge'  of 
God  whatever,  without  the  Word  of  Qod;  and  that, 
even  the  gentUes  are  compiled  to  confess*  For  they 
relate  this  particular  of  an  excellent  poet  of  theirs,  named 
Simonides. — On  a  certain  day  Hiero,  tyrant  of  Syra-  • 
cuse,  asked  him  what,  pr  what  kind  of  an  object,  God 
was;  or  what  opinion  he  held  or  receivjsd  concerning 
God.  Upon  which  he  requested  to  have  three  rdays 
allowed  him  to  consider  of  it.  And  when,  at  the  expira- 
tion of  three  days,  the  tyrant  asked  him  the  same  ques- 
tion, and  he  had  to  give  the  answer,  he  requested 
impther  three  days  to  tlmk  upon  it  more  deeply.  When 
these  three  days  had  expired,  he  repeated  the  same  re- 
quest again  and  again^  until  he  could  delay  the  answer 
no  longer,  nor  find  any  farther  means  of  evading  it 
And  when  Hiero  wondering,  asked  him  why  he  did  so, 
he  saidj  ^Because,  the  longer  I  consider  it,  the  more 
deeply  obscure  the  matter  appears  to  me.'  From  which 
example  we  derive  this  proof— ^that  the  farther  and  Ae 
more  deeply  human  reason  goes  in  the  investigation  of  J: 
God,  his  works,  his  will,  and  his  counsel,  the  farther  it 
.  gets  from  the  knowledge  of  them,  until  it  comes  at  last 
to  know  nothing  and  to  believe  nothing  of  God  at  all^ 
Of  which  kind  of  men,  not  a  few  are  found  among  the  ^ 
wise  and  prudent  in  this  day.  And  this  ought  to  be  the 
lot  of  all,  who,  leaving  the  Word,  follow  the  guidance 
reason,  and  bring  her  first  of  all  into  their  counsels  w 
all  articles  of  faith,  that  they  might  see  how  they  agree  « 
with  her.  b 

Therefore,  since  we  have  here  a  text  so  powerful  and  | 
so  plain,  we  must  take  heed  that  we  wilfully  obscure  it  Jb 
not  by  the  blinded  eyes  of  reason,  nor  wrest  it,  nor  suffer  [. 
it  otherwise  to  be  interpreted.  For  here  you  see  thd  '^ 
words  are  plain,  and  any  one  may  comprehend  and  un-  \ 
derstand  them. — Christ  giveth  to  all  that  believe  et^^  . 


\ 


9S 

Dal  life.:  but,  name  can  gi^  eterlMil.  life  save  God  6nly : 
wherefore,  it  most  iocontroveilibly follow,. thauGhiistris 
truly  and  natoraJfy  God.  '  m      i 

And  moreoyer,  as  he  saitUp  that  eternal  life:  steiiida  in 
our  knomng:  him  and  the  Father;,  it  plamlj  fidlbws; 
that  no  one;  can  attain  nnto  eternal  life  :widioat>  thct 
knowledge  of  him;  And  dieiefore,  the  knowtetlge'  'by 
which  both  himself  and  the  Father  are  known,  tamt^  tae 
die  jsame.  And  hence  it  must  also  follow,  that  he-is  o£ 
the  same  essence  and  nature  with  the  Father:  thati9, 
that  he  is  equally  God  with,  but  of  a  difiermt  person 
bom  J  the  Fadier.  These  'things  are  so'  clearly  proved  in. 
this  text,  that  even  reason  herself  cannot  deny  or  gain- 
say them. 

.  ;  But  the  worst  of  all  is  here — that  reason  is  not  ccm- 
tent  with  the  words,  but,  leaving  them,  rashly  runs  into 
anothec  direction.  She  refuses  to  believe  at  once  thiat  the 
words  themselves  are  true,  but  wishes  to  search  out  and" 
comprehend  how  they  can  be  considered  as:  true  and 
possible.  And  when  she  cannot  comprehend  that,  she 
leaves  the  words,  and  forms  out  to  herself  new  imagi- 
nations ;  and  then,  wrests  the  words  themselves  accorcl- 
ing  to  her  own  pleasure,  and  interprets  them  according 
to  the  imaginations  she  has  formed. 

Hence,  the  Arians  also  have  wickedly  and  malici- 
ously twisted  and  perverted  this  text,  while  they  laid  the 
stress  upon  that  part  of  Christ's  words  where  he  said^^ 
"  that  they  might  know  thee  the  one  true  God,"  a» 
diough  he  excluded  himself  and  ascribed  divinity  tO  the 
Father  only.  But  this  is  not  proving  or  making  plain>' 
but  interpreting  the  scripture  falsely,  and  not  observing 
what  the  sense  of  the  words  is  in  their  proper  connexion 
with  each  other.- — We  also  affirm  that  it  is  truth  and: 
ri^tly  said,  that  there  is  none  other  God  but  him'  only. 
Bhttt  they  will  not  see  what  is  immediately  subjoined  to 
it,-^that  Christ  makes  himself  in  all  things  equal  to  the 
Fatber,  and  so  expresses  himself  as  though  he  himself 
were  the  true  God :  seeing  that,  (as  it  is  there  said,)  he 
{daces  eternal  life  in  the  knowledge  of  himself  and  of  the 
Father  equally,  and  thus  of  the  two  makes  one. 


34 

And  when  he  orders  his  words  thus, — ^'  thee  the 
one  true  God;''  he  does  it,  that  he  might  always  give. 
Jionour  unto  the  Father,  as  having  received  au  things 
from  him ;  and  that  he  might  thus  lead  and  draw  us  unto 
the  Father  through  himself.  Of  this,  there  are  testimonies 
to  be  seen  throughout  St.  John.  And  he  unites  himself 
to  the  Divine  essence,  assuming  to  himself  the  same  and 
ail  equal  power,  when  he  says,  that  he  will  be  known 
togetheir  with  the  Father  as  the  giver  of  eternal  life ; 
which  is  the  work  of  God  alone. 

Wherefore,  these  words  make  the  most  powerful  of 
ail  against  the  Arians  and  all  other  heretics,  and  also 
against  the  Jews  and  infidels ;  who  say,  and  boast,  that 
ihey  believe  in  the  one  God  only  that  made  the  heavens 
and  the  earth ;  and  who  on  account  of  this  their  faith, 
condenm  us  Christians  as  adoring  another  God,  &c. — 
For  Christ's  intention  is  to  shew,  tnat  they  know  not  the 
true  God,  how  strongly  soever  they  may  be  of  that  opi- 
nion, and  may  glory  iii  it ;  and  that  they  do  not  appre- 
hend who  he  is,  nor  understand  how  he  is  to  be  known ; 
seeing  that,  he  alone  is  the  one  true  God,  who  ^^  sent " 
Jesus  Christ.  In  which  his  intention  is  to  say,  that  he 
who  would  not  err  in  the  one  true  God,  must  seek  him 
only  in  Christ  the  Lord ;  for  that  none  other  is  the  true 
(pod,  but  he  who  sent  Jesus  Christ.  Hence,  he  who  has 
not  this  Christ,  errs  from  the  true  God,  (although  he 
may  know  and  believe  that  there  is  only  one  true  God,) 
because  he  does  not  believe  in  him  who  sent  Christ,  and 
who  by  him  giveth  eternal  life.  Wherefore,  all  the  force 
lies  in  the  word  "  thee  " — "  that  they  might  know  thee 
the  one  true  God."  Which  "thee?"— Who  "sent" 
Jesus  Christ!  As  though  he  had  said,  The  Jews  and 
many  others  have,  as  they  imagine,  the  one  only  true  God ; 
but  "  thee,"  who  art  the  only  true  God,  they  know 
not;  because  they  know  not  Jesus  Christ  whom  thou  hast 
sent.  And  yet,  they  all  the  while  paint  out  to  them- 
selves a  God  according  to  their  own  imaginations: 
which  is  not  the  true  God,  but  a  mere  nothing  at  all ! 
Hence  you  see  that  Christ  does  not  here  use  the  word 
**  one,"  that  he  might  separate  himself  from  the  Father, 


Q5 

[>r  make  himseli^  distinct  from  the  Divine  essence; 
[which  is  guarded  against  with  sufficient  caution  by 
other  words,)  but,  more  especially,  that  he  might  join 
himself  with  the  Father,  and  make  the  Father  to  be  one 
in  union  with  himself;  against  all  those  who  form  out 
to  themselves  another  God,  or  seek  God  some  where 
else  than  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

Let  it  suffice  to  have  spoken  thus  concerning  the 
manner  in  which  the  Evangelist  has  firmly  established 
this  article,  the  divinity  of  Christ.  Now  let  us  more  at 
large  speak  of  that  knowledge  in  which  eternal  life  con- 
sists— what  it  is,  and  how  it  avails ;  that  we  may  learn 
to  understand  this  text  rightly  and  thoroughly,  as  being 
the  sum  and  substance  of  the  New  Testament. 

Our  old  teachers  have  referred  these  and  the  like 
sayings  to  the  life  to  come,  as  though  they  did  not  all 
concern  us  as  to  this  life.  We,  however,  will  dwell  upon 
these  and  the  like  sayings  here  below,  and  will  endeavour 
to  make  them  profitable  unto  us :  seeing  that,  they  are 
written  for  the  doctrine  of  faith,  and  pertain  most  espe- 
cially above  all  other  unto  this  life.    For  that  which  we 
are  to  inherit  and  to  possess  in  the  life  to  come,  must  be 
known  and  apprehended  here  by  faith.    Now  this  know- 
ledge is,  knowmg  how  we  are  to  think  of  the  Father  and 
of  Christ :  concerning  which  Peter  speaks,  2  Epis.  iii. 
where  he  says,  "  Grow  in  grace,  and  the  knowledge  of 
our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ."    That  is,  give  all 
diligence  that  this  may  be  your  only  concern,  your  only 
care  and  thoughts, — to. learn  and  know  righdy  this  Man 
Christ :  and  let  no  one  of  you  seek  after  any  thing  as 
better  than  this.     For  this  only  is  our  wisdom  and  our 
knowledge;   which  is  called   the  Christian  knowledge 
and  doctrine ;  and  whatever  is  taught  or  learnt  besides 
this,  is  not  to  be  considered  the  Christian  doctrine. 

And  now,  if  any  one  should  ask,  *  What  ought 
Christians  to  know  and  teach  ? '  no  other  answer  is  to  be 
gjven  than  this — '  that  Christ  is  to  be  known  as  sent 
by  the  Father : '  and  let  not  him,  who  neither  knows, 
nor  has  learnt,  nor  taught  this  by  any  means,  glory  in 
being  a  Christian.     For  although  a  person  should  know 

VOL.    II.  D 


26 

.  all  things  under  the  sun — ^how  God  made  the  heavens 
and  the  earth,  and  how  he  wrought  all  his  signs  and 
wonders ;  moreover,  although  he  should  know  and  keep 
the  Ten  Commandments ;  and,  in  a  word,  althou^  he 
should  be  endued  with  the  knowledge  and  power  of  all 
the  angels ;  yet  all  this  together  would  not  make  him  a 
Christian !  Wherefore,  all  things  that  can  be  preached 
or  known,  commanded  or  performed,  concerning  all  the 
good  teaching  and  lives  of  men,  must  be  kept  exclu- 
sively separate,  and  no  other  knowledge  whatever  must 
be  left  to  remain  and  to  avail  unto  the  constituting  of  a 
Christian,  than  that  only  which  is  here  spoken  of— 
"  that  they  might  know  thee,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom 
thou  hast  sent."  Concerning  this  knowledge  and  the 
effective  power  of  it,  the  holy  prophets  have  also  spoken 
gloriously  and  clearly ;  as  Isaiah  liii.  "  By  the  know- 
jdge  of  him,  shall  my  righteous  servant  justify  many." 
That  is,  he  shall  deliver  them  from  their  sins,  and  rescue 
tbem  from  the  Jaws  of  the  devil,  by  this  only — the  un- 
derstanding and  knowing  who  aiid  what  he  is  !  To  the 
^a^ie  effect  are  the  words  of  Jeremiah  also,  chap.  ix. 
*'  Let  not  the  wise  man  glory  in  his  wisdom,  neither  let 
the  mighty  man  glory  in  his  might,  let  not  the  rich  man 
glory  in  his  riches :  but  let  him  that  glorieth  glory  in 
this,  that  he  understandeth  and  knoweth  me,  that  I  am 
ij^:  Lord  which  exercise  loving-kindness,  judgment,  and 
lightepusness^  in  the  earth."  And  it  is  the  same  thing 
that  this  text  also  is  intended  to. set  forth — *  If  thou  wilt 
Ijiaye  eternal  life,  there  is  no  other  way  whatever  for  thee 
to  attain  unto  it,  than  in  knowing  the  one  true  God  the 
Father,  through  Jesua  Christ  his  Son  whom  he  has  sent. 
And  if  any  man  shall  set  before  thee  any  thing  else 
whatever  out  of  Chsist  he  will  deceive  thee.' 

Therefore^  the  old  teachers  before  mentioned  have 
done  injury  and  violence  to  this  most  beautiful  text;  yea 
ratha*,  have  taken  from  it  all  its  tirtue  and  marrow ;  by 
i^arating  it  from  the  doctrine  of  faith,  and  taking  it 
MJiy  a3  a  prophecy  concerning  the  life  to  come.  The 
eau^eof  which. error  was^.  their  not  understanding  what 
tbat  ts  which  is  called  the  knowledge  of  Christ:  for  they 


hevcr  went  any  deeper,  not  taught  any  fatther  than  that 
we  mast  live  so  and  so,  and  must  becottie  good  people,  so 
that  we  mi^t  by  our  works  obtain  eternal  life.  And 
licreby  they  drew  us  into  a  vain  confidence  in  our  own 
works,  by  which  we  utterly  lost  Christ  and  wandered 
wholly  out  of  the  way  of  eternal  life.  For  thou  must 
most  carefully  separate  all  things  else  that  can  be  men- 
tioned from  this  knowledge.  Whatever  is  not  called  the 
knowledge  of  Christ,  cannot  lead  unto  eternal  life,  nor 
deliver  from  sin  and  death.  For  as  this  is  true — that  he 
alone  gives  eternal  life  through  the  knowledge  of  him- 
self; so,  on  the  contrary,  this  must  be  true  also— that 
whatever  is  not  thiis  knowledge,  must  remain  under  death 
and  damnation.  ^ 

And  now,  what  is  this  which  is  called  knowing 
'  the  Father  and  Christ  ?  Or  how  is  such  a  knowledge 
obtained?  The  whole  stands  in  these  Words— ^"  whom 
thoo  haist  sent."  He  that  understands  and  midoubtingly 
believes  this,  hath,  most  certainly,  eternal  life.  Bat 
what  is  to  be  understood  by  "  whom  thou  hast  sent?" 
Consider  thou  and  fully  weigh  the  reason  why  Christ 
canie,  and  ^Vhat  he  did  here  in  the  world. — He  came 
down  from  heaven,  cltid  was  made  man,  that  he  mi^t 
finfeih  the  wbfk  which  the  Father  gave  him  to  do,  (as 
ou  H-ili  find  he  himself  hereafter  saith;)  that  is,  that 
e  might  take  the*  sins  ctf  the  whole  world  upon  himseU^ 
and  mi^t  die  to  blot  them  out,  and  to  appease  the 
wrath  of  the  Father;  and  that  he  might  in  his  own  pen- 
soif  overcome  death  and  the  devil,  and  i^deeni  as  anto 
himself: 

For,  as  hfe  was  '*  serit''  df  God,  it  could  not  be  a 
li^t  or  trifling  uhdertaking,  but  must  be  so  great  and 
so  necessary;  Aat  no  one  of  the  ssAtits  or  of  the  angels 
coald  dcK  it,  wor  any  one  but  the  Son  of  God.  That 
which  wais  to  be  accomplished  by  such  a  person  oiriy, 
must,  Ti^ithotft  dotibf,  be'  of  some  eternal  moment  tw- 
Mem  us  men  atfti  ©od .  Therefoi^,  this  whole  trdasuW 
lie*  couched  in-  these  wrtrds-^^*  whom  thou  hetet  sent.*' 
Ffar  these Vcwpds'  reveil  amd^opeti  up  to  Us  the  mtnd,^  the- 

D  2 


I 


28 

heart,  and  the  will  of  God ;  and  comprehend  every  thing 
that  Christ  accomplished  by  preaching  and  by  suffering, 
or  that  he  brought  unto  us  apd  bestowed  upon  us.  And 
this  also  proves  and  confirms  that  these  words  were  not 
spoken  concerning  the  life  to  come.  For  to  know  that 
Christ  was  sent  by  the  Father,  is  nothing  less  than 
knowing  and  believing,  how  Christ  came  into  the  world  ; 
and  that  he  died  for  our  sins,  that  he  rose  again,  and 
obtained  for  us,  and  gave  unto  us  the  forgiveness  of 
sins ;  all  which  things  pertain  unto  this  life. 

These  things  therefore  are  most  diligently  to  be  ex- 
ercised, and  deeply  pondered  and  laid  up  in  our  hearts 
and  minds,  in  order  to  draw  out  and  establish  our  faith, 
and  not,  as  they  have  been  hitherto,  to  be  removed  from 
our  eyes.  For  in  these  things,  most  truly,  our  salvation 
fitands,  and  our  surest  consolation  in  all  our  afflictions — 
our  knowing,  that  there  is  no  other  counsel  nor  help 
either  in  heaven  or  in  earth  against  sins  and  temptations, 
than  tbi3  knowledge  and  this  faith.  For  do  thou  only  for 
a  moment  consider  a  little  attentively,  what  there  is  that 
9uch  a  faith  cannot  effect  and  attain  unto.  For  if  I  know 
that  Christ  was  sen^  down  from  heaven  of  the  Father 
for  my  sake,  and  given  unto  me,  I  conclude  with  a 
cheerful  and  gladdened  mind,  that  the  Father  in  heaven 
is  merciful  and  favourably  inclined  towaitls  me,  and 
knows  no  farther  any  wrath  or  indignation.  Because,  in 
sending  his  own  Son,  he  hae  abundantly  manifested  his 
mind  and  will,  (as  I  have  before  observed,)  so  as  to 
leave  nothing  for  us  to  behold  but  an  immeasurable  and 
inexhaustible  ocean  of  love  and  mercy.  And  then,  if  I 
have  the  heart  of  the  Father,  I  have  him  altogether,  with 
all  his  divine  power  and  grace.  What  then  shall  I  fear 
or  dread  ?  And  even  if  sin,  death,  and  the  devil  assail 
me,  and  ply  all  their  power  to  take  my  confidence 
from  me,  and  to  drive  me  to  despair,  still  1  know 
tfiat  the  merciftd  and  Almighty  Father  is  mine  through 
Christ,  each  of  whom  stands  for  my  help  and  supports 
me.  Staying  myself  in  these,  I  can  with  great  boldness 
and  liberty  resist  the  devil,  and  hold  him  up  to  ridicule 


29 

and  laughter. — Behold,  therefore,  what  an  omnipotent 
and  efficacious  thing  faith  is  against  all  power  that 
opposes  us. 

But,  however,  only  make  an  attempt  in  this  matter, 
and  thou  wilt  soon  find  by  experience,  how  arduous  and 
difficult  a  thing  this  knowledge  of  Christ  is.  For  here, 
every  one  will  feel  how  little  faith  he  has,  how  weak  he 
is  in  this  life,  and  how  ignorant  of  this  doctrine  all  those 
teachers  of  works  are  who  thus  lightly  esteem  faith,  and 
also  all  those  satiated  spirits  who  in  so  short  a  time 
thoroughly  learn  all  things,  and  go  on  to  seek  still 
higher  and  higher  things  to  search  into.  This  is  the 
school,  as  I  have  deeply  experienced  to  my  own  sorix)w, 
where  we  have  to  sweat  and  toil ;  and  wherein  I  still 
feel  by  experience,  how  vain  all  our  human  works  and 
powders  are  to  overcome  sin,  death,  and  other  tempta- 
tions. And  therefore  it  is,  that  the  devil,  knowing  this, 
rages  against  this  doctrine  with  so  much  fury,  raising  up 
all  his  sects,  his  Papists,  and  his  heretics ;  who,  although 
they  hear  and  preach  much  about  faith,  yet  know  and 
experience  nothing  of  it  whatever,  for  they  know  and 
teach  nothing  else  than  good  works,  and  man's  own 
/righteousness,  which  alone  they  understand  and  preach. 
— That  it  is  indeed  true  I  cannot  deny,  and  have  myself 
always  taught,  that  God  will  have  men  to  liv%  well,  to 
walk  honestly  in  this  life,  and  to  be  saints  and  blameless 
before  the  world.  But  this  honest  conversation  cannot 
make  a  man  a  Christian  before  God :  that  is,  it  cannot 
bring  him  eternal  life.  This  glory  I  give  to  no  works  nor 
external  righteousness  whatever  of  men :  it  must  be  set 
above  all  human  works,  and  all  life,  how  honestly  and 
uprightly  soever  it  may  be  passed.  Let  our  works  and 
life  remain  here  beneath  in  this  world,  that  they  may 
be  called  human  honesty,  or  civil  righteousness,  and 
that  they  may  enjoy  t^is  life,  (as  the  scripture  saith, 
*  he  that  performed  them  let  him  live  in  them,')  and  let 
them  end  with  it.  But  this,  concerning  which  we  speak, 
is  a  heavenly  and  divine  righteousness,  which  procureth 
eternal  life ;  for  it  was  not  founded  on  human  strength 
and  transitory  works,  but  it  has  another  and  an  eternal 


30 

ibundatioD,  on  whidi  also  it  will  stand  for  ever.  There- 
fore,  I  look  lupon  this  text  as  being  one  of  the  most  for- 
cible of  those  that  utterly  exclude  all  works  and  leave 
th^QQL.herc  below:  because  it  makes  the  knowledge  of 
Christ  the  only  way  unto  salvation.  For  what  woric  can 
there  be  in  knowledge  ?  It  is  not  fasting,  nor  watching, 
nor  afflicting  one's  body,  nor  any  thing  that  can  be  done 
or  endured  by  the  body,  but  is  seated  internally  in  the 
inmost  recesses  of  the  heart.  And,  to  sum  up  the  whole 
in  a  few  words,  knowledge  is  not  a  work,  but  precedes 
:aU  works ;  for  works  follow  from  knowledge.  Moreover, 
that  is  called  works  which  we  do ;  but  knowledge  is 
that  which  we  receive.  Therefore,  by  this  one  expres- 
sion, "  that  they  might  know,"  as  by  a  certain  tre- 
mendous thunder  and  lightning,  all  doctrines  that  main- 
tain human  wocks,  religious  orders,  and  human  wor- 
shippings of  God,  are  utterly  destroyed ;  because,  nothing 
of  these  things  can  deliver  from  sins  and  please  God. 

And  here  attend  and  take  heed  that  thou  forget  not 

that  which  I  said  before — that  Christ  in  these  words 

Joins  and  unites  the  knowledge  of  himself  and  of  die 

Father  together ;  so  that  the  Father  can  be  known  only 

through  and  in  Christ.    For  I  have  often  said,  and  i  say 

imd  repeat  it  again  and  again,  as  it  as  what  I  would  have 

to  be  fixed  in  Ihe  minds  of  aU  even  after  I  am  dead<^— 

that  we  should  beware  of  all  those  teachers,  as  we  would 

of  .the  devil,  .who,  by  their  high  and  towering  specula- 

ticNQS,  begin  to  teach  conc^ning  God    nakedly,   and 

without  Christ :  just  as  our  sophists  and  great  masters 

have  done  in  our  schools  in  their  pryings  into  the  w^rks 

<)f  God  in  2ieaven--^what  he  is,  what  he  is  thinking  of, 

,aad  what  he  is  doing  with  ^imself,  &c.    But  if  thou  if'iUt 

xiralk  safely,  and  wilt  apprehend  God  and  find  in  him 

grace  and  help,  then  believe  /no  one  who  .would  persuade 

mee  that  .thou  canst  find  Ood  any  where  h^i  in  Christ 

iNor  be  jdiou  engaged  in  any  other  ithougbts  pf  him,  nor 

seek  thou  any  ouier  works  of  his,  hut  this  one  only — his 

sending  of  Christ ! 

With  the  learning  of  Christ  let  all  thy  studies  and 
pucsuits  iConmienGe^  tod  wander  not  frpm.that  point. 


but  stand  fast  thereia :  and  if  either  diine  own  imi^inaf 
tioDS  or  reason,  or  any  other  person  shall  wish  to 
seduce  thee,  then  shut  thine  eyes  and  say,  ^  I  must  noV 
and  desire  not  to  know  any  other  God,  than  in  Ciurist 
my  Lord.'  And  here  behold  his  face,  where  he  widi  so 
much  plainness  and  so  much  sweetness  reveals  himself 
in  this  word  of  Christ,  "  that  they  might  know  thee  the 
one  true  God  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  thou  hast  sent." 
In  which  words  Christ  draws  the  Father  wholly  to  him* 
self;  so  that  no  one  can  apprehend  the  one  true  God^ 
but  according  to  that  very  word  which  he  speaks.  For 
in  what  other  way  can  he  draw  nigh  unto  thee,  or  thou 
draw  nigh  unto  him,  so  as  to  apprdiend  and  receive 
him  ? 

Wherefore,  all  thy  faculties  are  to  be  employed  in 
contemplating  his  countenance,  to  which  he  leads  thee; 
and  thou  art  to  observe  how  he  leads  thee  by  the  Word^ 
and  works  the  whole  in  thee.  -Yet  no  one  will  believe, 
how  indispensably  necessary  this  is,  nor  how  difficult  an 
exercise  it  is ;  with  which,  even  many  great  and  excel- 
lent men  have  been  but  little  acquainted,  and  which 
even  now  is  hidden  from  the  wise  and  learned  ones ;  for 
they  know  not  that  all  their  £eu:ulties  and  thou^ts  are 
to  be  directed  to  the  Man  Christ  alone,  that  they  are  to 
contemplate  Christ  only,  and  solely  to  consider  what  he 
speaks  of  the  word,  and  works  of  the  work  of  God  in 
heaven.  And  this  is  the  reason  why  they  do  not  keep 
their  minds  upon  the  words,  "  whom  thou  hast  sent*'* 
If  they  saw  these  with  right  eyes,  and  believed  them, 
then  would  their  ears,  their  eyes,  and  their  mind,  be 
directed  towards  them ;  and  they  would  say,  *  Behold,  tf 
he  came  into  the  world  as  sent  by  the  Father,  we  must 
believe  that  he  came  to  fulfil  some  charge  committed 
to  him,  and  to  make  it  known  unto  us ;  and  therefore,  we 
ought  to  listen  to  him  as  we  would  to  the  Divine  Majesty 
himself.'  Now  then,  we  hear  no  other  word  than  that 
he  brings  help  into  the  world,  and  communicates  unto 
us  the  Father's  grace ;  nor  do  we  see  any  other  woric 
but  his  going  forth,  taking  upon  him  the  charge  of  the 
Father,  wad  fulfilling  it  by  teaching,  by  suffering,  and  at 


32 

last  by  dying  on  the  cross. — Behold  here,  the  mind,  the 
will,  and  the  work,  are  clearly  set  before  me,  wherel)y 
J  plainly  know  him :  but  out  of  this  way,  no  one  will 
ever  see  him  or  apprehend  him  by  any  sense  or  reason, 
how  acutely  soever  he  may  pry  into  him,  and  how 
highly  soever  he  may  soar  in  speculative  and  sophistical 
cogitations. 

When  we  are  in  possession  of  this  knowledge,  it  is 
easy  to  judge  what  a  miserable  calamity,  yea,  what  an 
execrable  abomination,  the  doctrine  of  the  Pope  and  of 
the  monks  is ;  who  impudently  prate,  that  Christ  did 
not  by  any  means  teach,  say,  do,  and  finish  all  things, 
but  left  many  things  to  be  taught,  commanded,  done, 
and  ordained  after  him ;  which  is  directly  contrary  to 
the  authority  of  this  scripture  now  before  us ;  and  is  as 
though  they  should  say,  *  Ye  are  not  to  look  at  Christ 
only,  as  sent  of  God,  but  to  observe  us  also ;  to  whom 
^any  more  things  are  given  and  committed  to  be  done 
and  taught  than  he  commanded.' — Christ  asserts  and 
affirms  &at  eternal  life  stands  in  the  knowledge  of  him. 
Whereas,  they  say,  that  that  knowledge  is  not  sufficient, 
but  that  many  things  more  are  necessary ;  such  as  the 
listening  to  councils,  imitating  the  examples  and  lives  of 
the  holy  fathers,  and  a  thousand  other  things  of  the 
same  kind. 

Here  then,  it  is  high  time  that  all  godly  Christians 
should  separate  themselves  from  them ;  and  say,  '  We 
would  willingly,  ye  excellent  sirs,  hear  whatever  ye  say, 
comm^id,  or  do,  but  we  will  pay  no  more  regard  to  it  . 
than  we  would  at  seeing  a  maid  sweep  the  pavement  with  \ 
a  brush,  or  a  cow  giving  milk  when  she  was  milked.  1 
We  will  leave  to  the  work  its  value  and  its  dignity ;  but, 
that  it  ought  to  perform  and  accomplish  as  much  as  the 
Word  of  Christ  does,  we  flatly  deny.  For  Christ  does 
not  speak  thus — This  is  life  eternal  if  we  live  and  do  so 
and  so ;  or,  if  ye  conclude  and  ordain  this  or  that ;  bat, 
*  that  ye  may  know  Christ  as  sent  of  the  Father.'  Nor 
will  he  endure  that  we  should  look  to  Moses  or  others^ 
(who  were  sent  themselves  and  had  great  charges  com- 
mitted unto  them,  and  did  many  things,)  because,  no 


«8 

one  of  them  was  sent  unto  the  end,  that  by  the  know* 
ledge  of  himself,  he  might  give  eternal  life;  nor  any 
other  but  Christ  alone/ 

Here  is  the  point  of  contention  and  controversy, 
wherein  we  dissent  from  the  doctrine  of  the  Pope. — He 
has  taken  away  from  us  this  knowledge^  and  will  not 
leave  it  pure  and  uncorrupted.  If  he  would  do  this,  I 
would  never  say  one  word  against  him,  for  we  will  wil- 
lingly permit  him  to  conclude,  to  decree,  and  to  com- 
mand, and  to  say  that  it  is  all  right;  and  they  shall 
therein  have  us  as  their  helpers  if  they  will ;  but  \et  them 
leave  this  free  unto  us — that  those  things  which  they 
conclude  shall  not  be  considered  useful  or  necessary 
unto  eternal  life.  For  this  would  be  an  insult  to  the  ho- 
nour of  Christ,  and  not  to  be  borne :  because,  his  Word 
would  be  thereby  denied  and  trodden  under  foot 

But  this  text  still  more  plainly  shews  what  lost  and 
desperate  vagabonds  they  are,  who  boast  of,  and  preach 
their  orders  and  religious  state,  as  being  a  state  and 
works  of  perfection,  and  far  more  excellent  than  the 
common  life  and  state  of  Christians :  which  is  a  doc- 
trine and  assertion  of  no  man,  but  of  Satan  himself,  and 
one  of  the  most  horrible  blasphemies.  Wherefore,  all 
monasteries  are  to  be  shunned  and  execrated,  as  the 
gates  of  hell.  But,  which  way  have  we  come  into  so 
great  a  calamity,  that  that  self-chosen  life,  and  those 
self-chosen  works  of  thine,  are  greater  and  more  excellent 
than  the  life  and  works  of  Christ  ?  For  my  part,  I 
think  that  he  will  ever  stand  superior  in  holiness  to  all 
the  Carmelites,  yea  to  all  saints,  together  with  their 
works,  even  though  they  should  fast  daily,  live  only 
on  bread  and  water  throughout  their  whole  life,  and 
never  sleep  more  than  one  hour  a-night ;  nay,  if  they 
should  daily  pray  the  dead  out  of  hell.  In  a  word,  what- 
ever of  a  holy  life  thou  wouldst  praise  or  boast  of,  or 
canst  attain  unto,  it  cannot  hold  up  the  finger  to  the 
common  life  of  Christians ;  nay,  is  not  worthy  in  any 
way  to  be  compared  with  it.  Therefore,  the  old  doctrine 
and  thoughts  are  to  be  put  off  and  trodden  under  foot ; 
because,  it  is  by  them  that  so  many  diiferepces,  have 


34 

arisen  Jn  Christianity,  and  that  the  Christian  life  has 
been  divided  into  so  many  states  and  orders.     In  the 
world,  indeed,  and  in  an  earthly  kingdom,  things  are  so. 
There,  the  states  and  conditions  are  different,  and  some 
works  are  greater  and  more  excellent  than  others.  But 
the  Christian  life  is  very  far  above  all  these,  and  they 
remain  at  a  greater  distance  beneath  it  than  the  earth 
does  beneath  the  heaven,  nor  can  any  thing  on  earth 
bear  any  comparison  with  it ;  for  it  contains  a  far  more 
exalted  and  sublime  treasure,  whereby  we  apprehend, 
through  Christ,  the  Father  and  eternal  life ;  and  that  is 
what  the  mind  of  no  natural  man  can  ever  attain  unto. 
And  therefore  it  is,  that  men  embrace  these  things  with 
so  much  difficulty,  and  that  almost  every  one  is  offended 
and  turns  himself  unto  other  things  that  are  more  agree- 
able unto  reason.    For  to  her,  these  things  ever  remain 
foreign  and  obscure;  and  hence,  she  does  not  make  them 
of  much  consequence,  nor  believe  them  to  be  true,  nor 
can  she  simply  trust  to  those  things  which  ^tie  canned 
feel  nor  see.     She  always  wants  to  have  something  on 
which  ^he  may  lean  as  a  foundation,  that  she  hasc^r 
finds  in  herself,  or  that  she  can  bring  forward  as  her  own, 
and  say, — I  have  laboured  and  wrought  so  many  and 
great  things ;  and  therefore,  I  hope  I  have  not  undergone 
the  labour  altogether  in  vain. 

Something  not  unlike  this  is  related  also  of  the  holy 
fathers;  as  that  concerning  Hilary  the  hermit;  from 
whom,  on  his  death-bed,  this  evil  word  fell,  —  *  O  my 
soul  (said  he)  why  dost  thou  dread  thy  departure.  Thou 
hast  now  served  thy  Lord  for  seventy  years,  and  dost 
thou  now  fear  death  ?' — If  he  died  in  that  state  of  mind 
which  the  words  would  indicate,  then,  certainly,  he  died 
badly  and  unhappily.  For  this  is  not  building  upon 
Christ  sent  of  the  Father,  as  the  foundation,  in  which 
way  only  he  giveth  unto  us  eternal  life,  but  it  is  trusting 
in  our  own  righteousness  and  our  own  worshipping  ci 
God.  And  this  is  the  evil  of  our  nature,  whereby  all 
holiness  of  life  and  good  works,  which  would  otherwise 
please  God  and  be  acceptable  UQto  him,  are  defiled ;  and 
thus  we  lose  both  Chiist  imd  eternal  life. 


85 

I  have  said  lliese  things,  tkat  no  one  midit  be 
seduced  by  ihese  and  the  like  examples ;  though  Jerom, 
who  was  Mm&elf  planged  into  that  sink,  most  highly 
praises  and  extols  them,  and  knew  oot  bow  to  praise 
them  enough.  I  hope,  howev^,  that  ano^er  light  of 
faitib  dione  into  the  heait  of  lliis  good  father  ^ring  the 
last  moments  of  his  life.  I,  for  my  part,  would  not  and 
durst  not  die  trusting  to  sujch  woras  of  commendation  ; 
nor  would  I  willingly  be  his  companion  therein.  For  if 
any  one  had  put  these  (juestions  to  him,  '  Why,  our 
dear  Father,  dost  thou  so  long  live  m  the  woods,  feed 
OB  roots  and  herbs,  and  lie  naked  on  the  bare  ground  ? 
Thinkest  thou  that  God  will  give  thee  eternal  life  for  so 
doing,  and  reward  thee  with  a  signal  crown  in  heai^en  ?' 
He  would  certainly  not  say,  No !  but  would  confess  that 
he  hoped,  that  God  would  not  suffer  any  thing  that  he 
did  to  be  in  vain.  *  For  (he  would  answer;  to  what 
other  end  have  I  thus  so  severely  afflicted  myself  with 
the  greatest  laj:>Qurs,  watchings,  fastings,  prayings,  aod 
the  like,  here  in  the  desert  ? '—Behpld  then,  where  is  now 
Christ  with  his  works  and  merits  ?  Here,  as  you  see,  all 
lihose  things  are  to  be  accounted  as  nothing  at  all,  which 
Christ  did  for  the  ohtainiHg  of  eternal  life  and  giving  it 
nnto  ns,  apd  it  is  to  be  bou^t  of  him  by  us  first  of  aM 
with  our  Oiwn  works  i  Wherefore,  such  legends  (as  they 
call  them)  and  exan^ples  of  the  fathers,  are  the  most 
deadly  poisons ;  by  which,  faith  and  the  J^nowledge  of 
Christ  are  suppressed  and  extinguis(hed.  Whereas,  (with- 
cmt  these,)  we  are  all  by  najture  contaminated  with  this 
evil,  and  jt  drives  many  to  despair  because  they  have  not 
don^  so  and  so,  or,  because  they  qanoot  do  it. 

Ijleie  xthen,  you  se;^  how  necessary  it  is  diligently  to 
exercise  and  inculcate  diese  /words,  as  the  sum  and  sub- 
stance, and  so,  the  foundation  of  our  doctrine :  diat  is, 
bow  we  are  to  become  Christians,  and  to  ^.ttain  unto 
eternal  life.  And  this  indieed  is  a  sublime  and  wonderful 
knowledge,  and  an  arduous  thing  it  is  to  hold  this  know- 
ledge pufe,  and  to  tiust  whdly  unto  it.  We  have  indeed, 
(tbanks  be  to  God  1)  this  doctrine  in  word,  but  \^^  have 
it  but  in  a  amaU  degree  and  weal^ly  in  our  hearts.     But 


S6 

the  rest,  that  is,  the  Papists,  and  tne  fanatical  spirits, 
have  lost  both  the  word  and  the  knowledge  together ; 
aind,  in  addition  to  that,  draw  away  both  themselves  and 
others  by  their  own  cogitations. 

Thus  then,  you  have  this  full  and  golden  sentence, 
as  an  article,  asserting  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of 
God ;  and  moreover,  teaching  and  setting  forth  the  be- 
nefits and  blessings  of  him ;  that  we  might  know  what  we 
have  in  him,  and  might  through  him  rightly  know  God 
and  learn  the  way  that  leadeth  unto  him  ;  in  order  that, 
we  might  with  a  glad  and  joyful  mind  trust  in  him  only; 
which  is  what  no  other  doctrine  under  heaven  ever 
taught. 

I  have  glorified  thee  on  earth :  I  havejinished  the 
work  which  thou  gavest  me  to  do. 

We  have  here  then  three  gloryings.  He  prayed 
above,  that  the  Father  would  glorify  him ;  in  order  that, 
by  that  glorifying  or  magnifying  he  might  again  come 
forth  powerful  and  glorious :  these  are  two  glorifyings. 
And  he  now  here  says  that  he  has  glorified  the  Father ; 
and  then,  (directly  afterward,)  asks  that  the  Father  would 
glorify  him  with  himself.  What  the  two  former  glorify- 
ings signify  has  been  already  sufficiently  explained :  by 
which  this  text  also  is  rendered  quite  clear  and  plain. — 
Christ  our  Lord  during  his  life  upon  earth  glorified  the 
Father  by  highly  preaching,  and  extolling  liis  praise  and 
glory ;  oi  which  there  are  testimonies  to  be  found  every 
where  throughout  the  Gospels,  where  he  continually 
teaches  and  glories  that  he  was  sent  of  the  Father,  and 
refers  to  the  Father,  and  ascribes  to  the  Father,  the 
whole  of  his  life  and  all  that  he  possesses  or  has  power 
to  do.  And  the  whole  life  of  a  Christian,  ought  to  be 
just  as  we  behold  this  life  of  Christ  to  have  been.  He 
ought  to  praise  God  alone,  and  to  acknowledge  and 
implore,  with  a  thankful  heart,  his  grace  and  merits. 

This  work  and  this  glorifying  are  now  accomplished, 
saith  he,  and  now,  glorify  thou  me.  This  seems  to  be 
nothing  else  than  if  he  had  said  again  what  he  said 
above.: — \  If  thy  glory,  praise^  and  honour  are  to   be 


87 

proclaimed  abroad,  and  declared  by  ine,  then  I  must  of 
necessity  be  buried  in  darkness  and  ignominy.'  For  all 
the  time  that  he  was  doing  the  will  of  the  Father  by 
preaching  and  working  stgns  and  miracles,  and  was 
engaged  in  those  works  which  were  approved  of  God,  and 
well-pleasing  unto  him,  the  world  was  bitterly  enraged 
ag^nst  him,  and  could  not  endure  him.  Therefore,  for 
the  Father's  sake  he  was  oppressed,  obscured,  and  con- 
demned to  the  most  ignominious  death.  And  it  was 
thus  that  he  finished  the  work  which  was  given  him  to 
do.  While  therefore  he  knew  and  felt,  that  for  the 
praise,  honour,  and  glory  of  the  Father,  he  must  lose  all 
the  mreatness  of  his  own  name ;  he  prays  and  asks  that 
the  Father  would  not  permit  him  to  be  buried  in  dark- 
ness, but  would  rescue  him  from  ignominy  and  death, 
and  would  bring  him  forth  to  the  light  crowned  with  the 
highest  honours  :  that  is,  that  he  would  make  him  King 
and  Lord.  And  then  the  third  thing  ought  to  follow,  for 
which  he  prayed  at  the  beginning, — that  he  might  glorify 
the  Father  throughout  the  whole  world  in  his  Christians, 
that  his  praise  might  become  much  more  widely  ex- 
tended than  it  was  before  his  death. 

Hence,  you  see  that  all  these  three  things  agree  in 
one.  First,  that  he  might  glorify  the  Father  in  his  life ; 
and,  on  account  of  this  glorious  office  of  teaching, 
come  to  an  ignominious  death,  that  he  might  be  in  turn 
glorified  by  the  Father ;  in  order  that,  he  might  be  able 
to  extend  the  glory  of  his  Father  still  more  widely,  and 
render  it  still  more  great  by  his  kingdom  and  Gospel. 
For  if  Christ,  as  has  been  observed  before,  had  remained 
unglorified,  the  Father's  glory  would  not  have  been 
more  widely  extended,  but  would  have  perished  with 
Christ.  Therefore  the  glory  of  Christ  and  of  the  Father 
are  intimately  connected  together,  so  that  the  Father  in 
glorifying  the  Son,  glorified  himself ;  and,  when  Christ 
was  glorified,  then  was  the  Father  also  glorified.  For 
the  glory  whereby  the  Father  is  glorified  by  the  Sodj 
and  me  Son  by  the  Father,  are  inseparable. 

And  now,  as  Christ  our  head  prays,  so  ought  ^e 
also  who  cleave  to  him  to  pray,  that  he  Would  glorify 


56 

the  rest,  that  is,  the  Papists,  and  tne  fanatical  spirits, 
have  lost  both  the  word  and  the  knowledge  together ; 
and,  in  addition  to  that,  draw  away  both  themselves  and 
others  by  their  own  cogitations. 

Thus  then,  you  have  this  full  and  golden  sentence, 
as  an  article,  asserting  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of 
God ;  and  moreover,  teaching  and  setting  forth  the  be- 
nefits and  blessings  of  him ;  that  we  might  know  what  we 
have  in  him,  and  might  through  him  rightly  know  God 
and  learn  the  way  that  leadeth  unto  him  ;  in  order  that, 
we  might  with  a  glad  and  joyful  mind  trust  in  him  only ; 
which  is  what  no  other  doctrine  under  heaven  ever 
taught. 

I  have  glorified  thee  on  earth :  I  have  finished  the 
work  which  thou  gavest  me  to  do. 

« 

We  have  here  then  three  gloryings.  He  prayed 
above,  that  the  Father  would  glorify  him ;  in  order  that, 
by  that  glorifying  or  magnifying  he  might  again  come 
forth  powerful  and  glorious :  these  are  two  glorifyings. 
And  he  now  here  says  that  he  has  glorified  the  Father ; 
BXid  then,  (directly  afterward,)  asks  that  the  Father  would 
glorify  him  with  himself.  What  the  two  former  glorify- 
ings signify  has  been  already  sufficiently  explained :  by 
which  this  text  also  is  rendered  quite  clear  and  plain. — 
Christ  our  Lord  during  his  life  upon  earth  glorified  the 
Father  by  highly  preaching,  and  extolling  his  praise  and 
glory ;  oi  which  there  are  testimonies  to  be  found  every 
where  throughout  the  Gospels,  where  he  continually 
teaches  and  glories  that  he  was  sent  of  the  Father,  and 
refers  to  the  Father,  and  ascribes  to  the  Father,  the 
whole  of  his  life  and  all  that  he  possesses  or  has  power 
to  do.  And  the  whole  life  of  a  Christian,  ought  to  be 
just  as  we  behold  this  life  of  Christ  to  have  been.  He 
ought  to  praise  God  alone,  and  to  acknowledge  and 
implore,  with  a  thankful  heart,  his  grace  and  merits. 

This  work  and  this  glorifying  are  now  accomplished, 
saith  he,  and  now,  glorify  thou  me.  This  seems  to  be 
nothing  else  than  if  he  had  said  again  what  he  said 
above.: — \  If  thy  glory,  praise^  and  honour  are  to   be 


37 

proclaimed  abroad,  and  declared  by  me,  then  I  must  of 
necessity  be  buried  in  darkness  and  ignominy/  For  all 
the  time  that  he  was  doing  the  will  of  the  Father  by 
preaching  and  working  sfgns  and  miracles,  and  was 
engaged  in  those  works  which  were  approved  of  God,  and 
well-pleasing  unto  him,  the  world  was  bitterly  enraged 
ag^st  him,  and  could  not  endure  him.  Therefore,  for 
the  Father's  sake  he  was  oppressed,  obscured,  and  con- 
demned to  the  most  ignominious  death.  And  it  was 
thus  that  he  finished  the  work  which  was  given  him  to 
do.  While  therefore  he  knew  and  felt,  that  for  the 
praise,  honour,  and  glory  of  the  Father,  he  must  lose  all 
the  mreatness  of  liis  own  name ;  he  prays  and  asks  that 
the  Father  would  not  permit  him  to  be  buried  in  dark- 
ness, but  would  rescue  him  from  ignominy  and  death, 
and  would  bring  him  forth  to  the  light  crowned  with  the 
highest  honours  :  that  is,  that  he  would  make  him  King 
and  Lord.  And  then  the  third  thing  ought  to  follow,  for 
which  he  prayed  at  the  beginning, — that  he  might  glorify 
the  Father  throughout  the  whole  world  in  his  Christians, 
that  his  praise  might  become  much  more  widely  ex- 
tended than  it  was  before  his  death. 

Hence,  you  see  that  all  these  three  things  agree  in 
one.  First,  that  he  might  glorify  the  Father  in  his  life ; 
and,  on  account  of  this  glorious  office  of  teaching, 
come  to  an  ignominious  death,  that  he  might  be  in  turn 
glorified  by  the  Father ;  in  order  that,  he  might  be  able 
to  extend  the  glory  of  his  Father  still  more  widely,  and 
render  it  still  more  great  by  his  kingdom  and  Gospel. 
For  if  Christ,  as  has  been  observed  before,  had  remained 
unglorified,  the  Father's  glory  would  not  have  been 
more  widely  extended,  but  would  have  perished  with 
Christ  Therefore  the  glory  of  Christ  and  of  the  Father 
are  intimately  connected  together,  so  that  the  Father  in 
glorifying  the  Son,  glorified  himself ;  and,  when  Christ 
was  glorified,  then  was  the  Father  also  glorified.  For 
the  glory  whereby  the  Father  is  glorified  by  the  Son^ 
and  me  Son  by  the  Father,  are  inseparable. 

Atid  now,  as  Christ  our  head  prays,  so  ought  #e 
also  who  cleave  to  him  to  pray,  that  he  would  glorify 


56 

the  rest,  that  is,  the  Papists,  and  tne  fanatical  spirits, 
have  lost  both  the  word  and  the  knowledge  together ; 
and,  in  addition  to  that,  draw  away  both  themselves  and 
others  by  their  own  cogitations. 

Thus  then,  you  have  this  full  and  golden  sentence, 
as  an  article,  asserting  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of 
God ;  and  moreover,  teaching  and  setting  forth  the  be- 
nefits and  blessings  of  him ;  that  we  might  know  what  we 
have  in  him,  and  might  through  him  rightly  know  God 
and  learn  the  way  ihat  leadeth  unto  him  ;  in  order  that, 
we  might  with  a  glad  and  joyful  mind  trust  in  him  only; 
which  is  what  no  other  doctrine  under  heaven  ever 
taught. 

I  have  ghri/ied  thee  on  earth :  I  havejinished  the 
work  which  thou  gavest  me  to  do. 

« 

We  have  here  then  three  gloryings.  He  prayed 
above,  that  the  Father  would  glorify  him ;  in  order  that, 
by  that  glorifying  or  magnifying  he  might  again  come 
forth  powerful  and  glorious :  these  are  two  glorifyings. 
And  he  now  here  says  that  he  has  glorified  the  Father ; 
wid  then,  (directly  afterward,)  asks  that  the  Father  would 
glorify  him  with  himself.  What  the  two  former  glorify- 
ings signify  has  been  already  sufficiently  explained :  by 
which  this  text  also  is  rendered  quite  clear  and  plain. — 
Christ  our  Lord  during  his  life  upon  earth  glorified  the 
Father  by  highly  preaching,  and  extolling  his  praise  and 
glory ;  oi  which  there  are  testimonies  to  be  found  every 
where  throughout  the  Gospels,  where  he  continually 
teaches  and  glories  that  he  was  sent  of  the  Father,  and 
refers  to  the  Father,  and  ascribes  to  the  Father,  the 
whole  of  his  life  and  all  that  he  possesses  or  has  power 
to  do.  And  the  whole  life  of  a  Christian,  ought  to  be 
just  as  we  behold  this  life  of  Christ  to  have  been.  He 
ought  to  praise  God  alone,  and  to  acknowledge  and 
implore,  with  a  thankful  heart,  his  grace  and  merits. 

This  work  and  this  glorifying  are  now  accomplished, 
saith  he,  and  now,  glorify  thou  me.  This  seems  to  be 
nothing  else  than  if  he  had  said  again  what  he  said 
above.: — \  If  thy  glory,  praise,  and  honour  are  to   be 


37 

proclaimed  abroad,  and  declared  by  me,  then  I  must  of 
necessity  be  buried  in  darkness  and  ignominy.'  For  all 
the  time  that  he  was  doing  the  will  of  the  Father  by 
preaching  and  working  signs  and  miracles,  and  was 
engaged  in  those  works  which  were  approved  of  God,  and 
well-pleasing  unto  him,  the  world  was  bitterly  enraged 
ag^st  him,  and  could  not  endure  him.  Therefore,  for 
the  Father's  sake  he  was  oppressed,  obscured,  and  con- 
demned to  the  most  ignominious  death.  And  it  was 
thus  that  he  finished  the  work  which  was  given  him  to 
do.  While  therefore  he  knew  and  felt,  that  for  the 
praise,  honour,  and  glory  of  the  Father,  he  must  lose  all 
the  mreatness  of  liis  own  name ;  he  prays  and  asks  that 
the  Father  would  not  permit  him  to  be  buried  in  dark- 
ness, but  would  rescue  him  from  ignominy  and  death, 
and  would  bring  him  forth  to  the  light  crowned  with  the 
highest  honours  :  that  is,  that  he  would  make  him  King 
and  Lord.  And  then  the  third  thing  ought  to  follow,  for 
which  he  prayed  at  the  beginning, — that  he  might  glorify 
the  Father  throughout  the  whole  world  in  his  Christians, 
that  his  praise  might  become  much  more  widely  ex- 
tended than  it  was  before  his  death. 

Hence,  you  see  that  all  these  three  things  agree  in 
one.  First,  that  he  might  glorify  the  Father  in  his  life ; 
and,  on  account  of  this  glorious  ofl&ce  of  teaching, 
come  to  an  ignominious  death,  that  he  might  be  in  turn 
glorified  by  the  Father ;  in  order  that,  he  might  be  able 
to  extend  the  glory  of  his  Father  still  more  widely,  and 
render  it  still  more  great  by  his  kingdom  and  Gospel. 
For  if  Christ,  as  has  been  observed  before,  had  remained 
unglorified,  the  Father's  glory  would  not  have  been 
more  widely  extended,  but  would  have  perished  with 
Christ  Therefore  the  glory  of  Christ  and  of  the  Father 
are  intimately  connected  together,  so  that  the  Father  in 
glorifying  the  Son,  glorified  himself ;  and,  when  Christ 
was  glorified,  then  was  the  Father  also  glorified.  For 
the  glory  whereby  the  Father  is  glorified  by  the  Sonj 
and  me  Son  by  the  Father,  are  inseparable. 

Atid  now,  as  Christ  our  head  prays,  so  ought  ^v^e 
also  who  cleave  to  him  to  pray,  that  he  would  glorify 


36 

the  rest,  that  is,  the  Papists,  and  tne  fanatical  spirits, 
have  lost  both  the  word  and  the  knowledge  together ; 
and,  in  addition  to  that,  draw  away  both  themselves  and 
others  by  their  own  cogitations. 

Thus  then,  you  have  this  full  and  golden  sentence, 
as  an  article,  asserting  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of 
God ;  and  moreover,  teaching  and  setting  forth  the  be- 
nefits and  blessings  of  him ;  tnat  we  might  know  what  we 
have  in  him,  and  might  through  him  rightly  know  God 
and  learn  the  way  that  leadeth  unto  him ;  in  order  that, 
we  might  with  a  glad  and  joyful  mind  trust  in  him  only ; 
which  is  what  no  other  doctrine  under  heaven  ever 
taught. 

I  have  glorified  thee  on  earth :  I  havejinished  the 
work  which  thou  gavest  me  to  do. 

We  have  here  then  three  gloryings.      He   prayed 
above,  that  the  Father  would  glorify  him ;  in  order  that, 
by  that  glorifying  or  magnifying  he  might  again  come 
forth  powerful  and  glorious :  these  are  two  glorifyings. 
And  he  now  here  says  that  he  has  glorified  the  Father ; 
wid  then,  (directly  afterward,)  asks  that  the  Father  would 
glorify  him  with  himself.     What  the  two  former  glorify- 
ings signify  has  been  already  sufficiently  explained :  by 
which  this  text  also  is  rendered  quite  clear  and  plain. — 
Christ  our  Lord  during  his  life  upon  earth  glorified  the 
Father  by  highly  preaching,  and  extolling  his  praise  and 
glory ;  of  which  there  are  testimonies  to  be  found  every 
where  throughout  the  Gospels,  where  he   continually 
teaches  and  glories  that  he  was  sent  of  the  Father,  and 
refers  to  the  Father,  and  ascribes  to  the  Father,  the 
whole  of  his  life  and  all  that  he  possesses  or  has  power 
to  do.     And  the  whole  life  of  a  Christian,  ought  to  be 
just  as  we  behold  this  life  of  Christ  to  have  been.     He 
ought  to  praise  God  alone,  and  to  acknowledge  and 
implore,  with  a  thankful  heart,  his  grace  and  merits. 

This  work  and  this  glorifying  are  now  accomplished, 
saith  he,  and  now,  glorify  thou  me.  This  seems  to  be 
nothing  else  than  if  he  had  said  again  what  he  said 
above.: — \  If  thy  glory,  praise^  and  honour  are  to   be 


37 

proclaimed  abroad,  and  declared  by  me,  then  I  must  of 
necessity  be  buried  in  darkness  and  ignominy/  For  all 
the  time  that  he  was  doing  the  will  of  the  Father  by 
preaching  and  working  signs  and  miracles,  and  was 
engaged  in  those  works  which  were  approved  of  God,  and 
well-pleasing  unto  him,  the  world  was  bitterly  enraged 
ag^nst  him,  and  could  not  endure  him.  Therefore,  for 
the  Father's  sake  he  was  oppressed,  obscured,  and  con- 
demned to  the  most  ignominious  death.  And  it  was 
thus  that  he  finished  the  work  which  was  given  him  to 
do.  While  therefore  he  knew  and  felt,  that  for  the 
praise,  honour,  and  glory  of  the  Father,  he  must  lose  all 
the  ^eatness  of  liis  own  name ;  he  prays  and  asks  that 
the  Father  would  not  permit  him  to  be  buried  in  dark- 
ness, but  would  rescue  him  from  ignominy  and  death, 
and  would  bring  him  forth  to  the  light  crowned  with  the 
highest  honours  :  that  is,  that  he  would  make  him  King 
and  Lord.  And  then  the  third  thing  ought  to  follow,  for 
which  he  prayed  at  the  beginning, — that  he  might  glorify 
the  Father  throughout  the  whole  world  in  his  Christians, 
that  his  praise  might  become  much  more  widely  ex- 
tended than  it  was  before  his  death. 

Hence,  you  see  that  all  these  three  things  agree  in 
one.  First,  that  he  might  glorify  the  Father  in  his  life ; 
and,  on  account  of  this  glorious  office  of  teaching, 
come  to  an  ignominious  death,  that  he  might  be  in  turn 
glorified  by  the  Father ;  in  order  that,  he  might  be  able 
to  extend  the  glory  of  his  Father  still  more  widely,  and 
render  it  still  more  great  by  his  kingdom  and  Gospel. 
For  if  Christ,  as  has  been  observed  before,  had  remained 
unglorified,  the  Father's  glory  would  not  have  been 
more  widely  extended,  but  would  have  perished  with 
Christ  Therefore  the  glory  of  Christ  and  of  the  Father 
are  intimately  connected  together,  so  that  the  Father  in 
glorifying  the  Son,  glorified  himself;  and,  when  Christ 
was  glorified,  then  was  the  Father  also  glorified.  For 
the  fflory  whereby  the  Father  is  glorified  by  the  Sonj 
and  me  Son  by  the  Father,  are  inseparable. 

And  now,  as  Christ  our  head  prays,  so  ought  ^ite 
also  who  cleave  to  him  to  pray,  that  he  would  glorify 


36 

the  rest,  that  is,  the  Papists,  and  tne  fanatical  spirits, 
have  lost  both  the  word  and  the  knowledge  together ; 
a;nd,  in  addition  to  that,  draw  away  both  themselves  and 
others  by  their  own  cogitations. 

Thus  then,  you  have  this  full  and  golden  sentence, 
as  an  article,  asserting  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of 
God;  and  moreover,  teaching  and  setting  forth  the  be- 
nefits and  blessings  of  him ;  that  we  might  know  what  we 
have  in  him,  and  might  through  him  rightly  know  God 
and  learn  the  way  that  leadeth  unto  him  ;  in  order  that, 
we  might  with  a  glad  and  joyful  mind  trust  in  him  only; 
which  is  what  no  other  doctrine  under  heaven  ever 
taught. 

I  have  glorified  thee  on  earth :  I  have  finished  the 
work  which  thou  gavest  me  to  do. 

« 

We  have  here  then  three  gloryings.      He   prayed 
above,  that  the  Father  would  glorify  him ;  in  order  that, 
by  that  glorifying  or  magnifying  he  might  again  come 
forth  powerful  and  glorious :  these  are  two  glorifyings. 
And  he  now  here  says  that  he  has  glorified  the  Father ; 
wid  then,  (directly  afterward,)  asks  that  the  Father  would 
glorify  him  with  himself.     What  the  two  former  glorify- 
ings signify  has  been  already  sufficiently  explained :  by 
which  this  text  also  is  rendered  quite  clear  and  plain. — 
Christ  our  Lord  during  his  life  upon  earth  glorified  the 
Father  by  highly  preaching,  and  extolling  liis  praise  and 
glory ;  of  which  there  are  testimonies  to  be  found  every 
where  throughout  the  Gospels,  where  he   continually 
teaches  and  glories  that  he  was  sent  of  the  Father,  and 
refers  to  the  Father,  and  ascribes  to  the  Father,  the 
whole  of  his  life  and  all  that  he  possesses  or  has  power 
to  do.     And  the  whole  life  of  a  Christian,  ought  to  be 
just  as  we  behold  this  life  of  Christ  to  have  been.     He 
ought  to  praise  God  alone,  and  to  acknowledge  and 
implore,  with  a  thankful  heart,  his  grace  and  merits. 

This  work  and  this  glorifying  are  now  accomplished, 
saith  he,  and  now,  glorify  thou  me.  This  seems  to  be 
nothing  else  than  if  he  had  said  again  what  he  said 
above.: — \  If  thy  glory,  praise^  and  honour  are  to   be 


S7 

abroad,  and  declared  by  mey  then  I  must  of 
necessity  be  buried  in  darimess  and  ignominy.'  For  all 
the  time  that  he  was  doing  the  will  of  the  Father  by 
preaching  and  working  signs  and  miracles,  and  was 
engaged  in  those  works  which  were  approved  of  God,  and 
well-pleasing  unto  him,  the  world  was  bitterly  enraged 
against  him,  and  could  not  endure  him.  Therefore,  for 
the  Father's  sake  he  was  oppressed,  obscured,  and  con- 
demned to  the  most  ignominious  death.  And  it  was 
thus  that  he  finished  the  work  which  was  given  him  to 
do.  While  therefore  he  knew  and  felt,  that  for  the 
praise,  honour,  and  glory  of  the  Father,  he  must  lose  all 
the  greatness  of  his  own  name ;  he  prays  and  asks  that 
the  Father  would  not  permit  him  to  be  buried  in  dark- 
ness, but  would  rescue  him  from  ignominy  and  death, 
and  would  bring  him  forth  to  the  light  crowned  with  the 
highest  honours  :  that  is,  that  he  would  make  him  King 
and  Lord.  And  then  the  third  thing  ought  to  follow,  for 
which  he  prayed  at  the  beginning, — that  he  might  glorify 
the  Father  throughout  the  whole  world  in  his  Christians, 
that  his  praise  might  become  much  more  widely  ex- 
tended than  it  was  before  his  death. 

Hence,  you  see  that  all  these  three  things  agree  in 
one.  First,  that  he  might  glorify  the  Father  in  his  life ; 
and,  on  account  of  this  glorious  office  of  teaching, 
come  to  an  ignominious  death,  that  he  might  be  in  turn 
glorified  by  the  Father ;  in  order  that,  he  might  be  able 
to  extend  the  glory  of  his  Father  still  more  widely,  and 
render  it  still  more  great  by  his  kingdom  and  Gospel. 
For  if  Christ,  as  has  been  observed  before,  had  remained 
unglorified,  the  Father's  glory  would  not  have  been 
more  widely  extended,  but  would  have  perished  with 
Christ  Therefore  the  glory  of  Christ  and  of  the  Father 
are  intimately  connected  together,  so  that  the  Father  in 
glorifying  the  Son,  glorified  himself;  and,  when  Christ 
was  glorified,  then  was  the  Father  also  glorified.  For 
the  glory  whereby  the  Father  is  glorified  by  the  Sonj 
and  the  Son  by  the  Father,  are  inseparable. 

And  now,  as  Christ  our  head  prays,  so  ought  "ite 
also  who  cleave  to  him  to  pray,  that  he  would  glorify 


ss 

himself  ittfus.  For  as  it  wfifs  wit!b  him  on  earth,  so  also 
it  is  with  us;  that,  for  his  sake,  (when  we  glorify  hitia, 
and  exalt  his  name  by  our  life  and  doctrine,)  we  must 
submit  to  be  loaded  with  ignominy,  and  to  be  con- 
demned to,  and  pimished  with,  death :  even  as  for  oQjr 
sakes,  his  most  holy  name  and  word  suffer  persecution, 
and  are  loaded  with  every  reproach  and  insult.  Btit  that 
he  might  retain  his  honour  and  dignity,  and  defend!  his 
word  against  vile  calumniators  and  i)lasphemous  ac- 
cusers, he  must  rescue  us,  and  quite  reverse  the  scene, 
making  the  world  to  be  unjust  and  condemned  to  the 
deepest  shame,  while  we  are  translated  intoglory  and 
Vernal  life.  And  then,  his  glory  comes  to  light,-  beaifis 
forth,  and  is  spread  throughout  the  world  by  the  Holy 
Spirit  and  the  mouth  of  Christians.  And  this  is  what 
he  calls  the  work  which  the  Father  gave  him  to  do — to 
load  himself  with  all  reproaches  and  insults,  endure 
dreadful  tortures,  and  suffer  death  for  the  glory  of  the 
Father;  and  all  this  for  our  sakes,  that  we  might  be 
delivered  from  death  and  from  the  devil,  and  might  have 
eternal  life :  as  we  have  shewn  before. 

And  7iow,  O  Father,  glorify  thou  me  with  thine  own 
selfy  with  the  glory  which  I  had  with  thee  before  the 
world  was. 

Here  again,  is  a'  great  and'  expressive  text  con- 
cerning the  divinity:  oi  Christ,  against  the  Arians: 
though  even  herd,  they  have  found  a  gap  or  chink 
througjb  which  to  escape.  Here  Christ  expressly  says, 
that  he  had  honour,  and  was  glorious  with  the  Father^ 
before  the  foundation  of  the  world.  What  the  meaning  of 
this  is,  those  who  believe  can  easily  see. — "  Before  the 
worid  was,"  nothing  could  have  existence  but  God  only, 
£6r  there  is  nO  medium  between  the  world  and  God,  or 
between  the  creature  and  the  Creator.  Thus,  the  mouth 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  speaks  simply,  without  any  colouring 
of  words^  and  yet  speaks  things  so  great  and  sublime, 
that  no  mortal  whatever  can  comprehend  th^.  For 
nifhat  else  is-here  said,  than  that  ii4iich  others  might  have 
expiessed  with  HftnuUStude  of  wordai  thus — *  Dear  Fathei^ 


y 


99 

doBify  me  who  jmdi  thine  cmly  Son  ih)m  everitf$tmg«  of 
ttie  same  divinity,  essence,  and  glory  with  thyself  It  is 
this  that  he  says  here  and  includes  it  in  his  prayer ;  that 
he  might  shew,  lum  he  wishes  to  be  glorified,  that  is, 
manifested,  preached,  and  believed  on ;  namely,  as  being 
he  who  had  his  ^ory  from  all  eternity ;  that  is,  as  being 
truly  God,  and  naturally  Son  of  the  Father. 

But  heretics  have  cast  their  clouds  over,  and  per- 
verted this  text  also,  as  tfiey  are  accustomed  to  pervert 
the  whole  scripture.  And  although  this  same  heresy  jnay 
break  out  again  hereafter  (which  may  God  prevent !) 
I  have  entreated,  and  I  entreat  again  and  again,  that  we 
exercise  ourselves  in  this  Evangelist  most  diligently,  that 
by  his  help  we  may  withstand  such  heretics :  for  they  will 
artftiUy  and  wickedly  pervert  all  such  passages  of  the 
scripture,  and  will  say  as  they  have  done  before,  ^  It  is 
true  that  Christ  had  his  glory  before  the  world  was ;  but 
it  does  not  from  that  follow,  that  he  is  therefore  to  be 
consider^  eternally  and  naturally  God.  He  might  have 
been  some  creature,  higher  and  exalted  above  all  the 
rest  of  the  creatures,  before  the  world  was,  and  so,  a 
medium  in  the  world  between  God  and  all  other  crea-  * 
tures.'  For  when  they  see  that  they  cannot  answer  these 
plain  words,  they  are  driven  to  the  necessity  of  framing 
the  thought,  that  Christ  is  the  highest  and  most  exited 
of  all  creatures,  and  in  dignity  and  excellence  surpassing 
the  greatness  even  of  the  angels,  and  that  he  was  created 
before  all  other  creatures.  Thus  must  the  daub  of 
colouring  be  thrust  upon  and  cast  over  the  scriptures,  that 
tl^y  may  agree  with  our  cogitations,  lest  those  impious 
cogitations  and  figments  should  be  detected.  And  thus 
does  it  deservedly  happen  unto  them  who  wish  to  un* ' 
ravel,  the  mystery  in  those  sublime  articles  by  their  own 
reason,  and.  to  be  considered  masters  of  the  scriptures. 

And  monsover,  as  we  handled  tbis(articLe  above,  and 
proved  that  Christ  must  be  truly  God,  since  he  alone 
has.  tfao  power  of  giving  eternal  life,  and  this  is  obtained 
alone.throx^  the  knowledge  of  him;  so,  we  most  sted^- 
f»tly  bdieve.and  xest  on:  the  present  words  also,  not  suf- 
fSBrin^men-to  wiest  the  wordis  froni  us^nor  to  m^ciously 


40 

pi^rvert  them,  nor  to  itnagine  or  frame  any  thing  me^ 
dium  between  God  and  the  world  ;*  for  no  such  medium 
can  be  framed.  And  this  is  the  most  certain  of  ail  cer^ 
tainties — that  Christ,  as  he  had  his  glory  before  the 
world  was,  cannot  be  a  creature.  For  the  term  "  world" 
comprehends  all  things  that  are  created,  or  every  thing 
that  is  called  a  creature  that  was  not  from  eternity,  but 
had  a  beginning:  as  Moses,  Gen.  i.  ^^  In  the  beginning 
God  created  the  heaven  and  the  earth."  Therefore,  it 
cannot  be,  that  Christ  existed  before  the  world  or  before 
time,  and  yet,  was  only  a  creature.  Moreover,  Christ 
himself  says  in  plain  words,  the  greatness,  or,  "  the  ^ory 
which  I  had  with  Mee,"  not  which  was  witib  the  crea- 
tures, or  in  the  power  of  the  creatures.  Since,  therefore, 
he  was  no  where  but  with  the  Father,  the  glory  must,  of 
necessity,  have  been  in  divinity. 

A  king  or  a  prince  has  also  his  glory,  but  it  is  before 
his  people,  it  can  be  no  where  else.  The  glory  of  Christ, 
however,  must  have  been  wholly  in  God,  apart  froni  all 
creatures.  And  if  it  were  in  God,  or  with  God,  then  the 
glory  of  ChrivSt  and  of  the  Father  is  one  and  the  same  in 
'  an  indivisible  essence.  Thus,  in  the  words  "  with  thee,** 
are  comprehended  an  union  of  nature  and  a  distinction 
of  persons  in  the  Godhead. — And  now,  mark  the  sum  of 
this  ,prayer.  *  My  most  beloved  Father,  I  have  now 
finished  my  work  in  the  world  unto  which  I  was  seat  of 
thee.  And  now  for  thine  honour  s  sake  I  die,  and  am  to' 
be  oppressed  and  to  be  condemned  as  the  most  wicked 
of  all  men  that  the  earth  ever  bore  since  the  memory  of 
man.  Therefore,  at  length  glorify  me,  that  the  world  may 
hear  it,  and  declare  that  I  was  thy  Son  from  everlasting.* 
For  if  the  Father  himself  had  not  done  this,  no  mortal 
man  would  ever  have  known  or  found  out  his  glory.  For 
into  the  heart  of  what  man  would  it  ever  have  come,  or 
who  would  ever  have  believed,  that  the  Christ,  who  was 
crucified  and  humbled  below  all  men,  was  the  trae 
Almighty  God.  But  now,  this  prayer  was  heard,^  and 
its  efficacy  now  prevails  abmad ;  Avhereby,  this  Christ  is 
believed  and  worshipped  as  truly  Man  bom  of  a  Virgin, 
and  truly  the  Son  of  God,  who  had  his  glory  with  the 


41 

Father  from  everlasting,  aqd  who  now  by  the  preaching 
of  ihe'^ospel  reveal&  the  Father  and  draws  men  unto 
the  knowledge  of  him  ;  as  it  now  follows, 

/  have  manifested  thy  name  unto  the  men  which 
thou  gavest  me  out  of  the  world. 

Here  Christ  himself  explains  what  he  means  by  glo- 
rifying the  Father  and  finishing  his  work ;  shewing  how, 
and  ^r  what,  it  was  finished.     For  *^  I  have  manifested 
thy  name  unto  the  men  which  thou  gavest  me,**  means 
nothing  else  but  his  glorifying  the  Father,  which  is  ma« 
nifesiting  his  name:  and  thus  what  he  preached  con* 
ceming  him,  the  same  he  has  revealed  to  our  hearts — 
that  he  is  a  kind  and  merciful  Father,  that  he  receives  us 
into  his  grace ;   pardoning  all  our  sins,  delivering  u4 
from  deam  and  the  devil,  defending  and  bringing  us  nelp 
in  all  perils  and  straits,  and  that  without  any  regard  to 
our  works  or  merits,  but  only  of  his  fatherly  goodness 
through  Jesus  Christ  his  beloved  Son.    He  that  praises, 
glories  in  and   preaches,  believes  and  confesses,  these 
things,  he  makes  the  Father  glorious,  he  magnifies  and 
manifests  his  name,  that  men  may  know  what  he  is  to 
be  called,  how  he  is  to  be  looked  upon,  and  how  he  is  to 
be  worshipped.     For  the  right  way  of  coming  at  the 
name  whereby  he  is  to  be  known,  is  to  have  an  under- 
standing of  the  will  of  his  heart  and  of  his  works,  which 
are  hidden  from  the  whole  world.    For  all  who  have  not 
this  faith  and  this   confession,  know  not  the  Father,, 
although  they  may  hear  and  talk  much  of  the  Father : 
like  the  Jews,  who  glorified  that  they  only  were  the  peo- 
ple and  the  worshippers  of  God :  and  yet,  they-had  no 
better  thought  of  him,  than  as  if  he  were  a  certain  man, 
who  ought  to  have  respect  unto  all  their  legal  insti- 
lutions,  their  sacrifices,  and  their  splendid  ceremonies, 
and  ought  to  permit  tfiem  to  please  him,  and  to  be 
merciful  and  favourable  unto  them  on  account  of  them*. 
Whose*  example  6ur  monks  and  orders  of  religious  ones 
also  imitate ;  imagining,  that  God  has  respect  unto  their 
Words,  Iheir  fastings,  and  their  severe  manner  of  life, 
and  will  give  unto  uiem  eternal  Kfi  because  of  Uiem.  *  * 

VOL.    II.  E 


4« 

tnd^  we  fipjd.  this  la  be  in  aH  mea  by  imi(w% 
tiyat  a^.  soon  as  Qve^  we  bear  of  God»  each.one  ^cuinft  oitf 
to  himself  his  own  imaginations  and  thoughts;;  whjer^qik 
he  would  attempt  to  arrive  at  knowing  the  form  of  God 
and  his  colour,  who  or  what  he  is,  what  his  though^ 
are,  what  he  is  meditating  in  his  mind,  and  by  what 
things  he  ii^  to  be  worshipped*  Nor  can  reason  ascend 
imy  hid)er,  even  ^hen  it  haS;  mvented  the  very  best  way 
it^can  tor  worshipping  God,  than  that  he  is:to  be  served 
}fy  w,qrks:  and  that  so  much  must  he  done»  thait  tl^ejf 
iltiy  have  a  fair  appeai^ance  in  his  sig^^  a^d  tb^t .  lif 
i9ay  for  them  give  such  a  reward  as  he  shall  be  pleaaeij 
to  ^aut  And  it  is  from  th^,  that  ^U  th^  different  form 
of  ^olatry  have  spread  themselves  over  dxe  world*  J^i^ 
if  ^  e,  would  know  him  aright,,  we  rnv^t  come  ta  Chii^t, 
^ati  he  would  reveal  the,  ^thei;  upto  us  by  hi$  WchxI  ; 
md  here»  our  reason  an^  cogit^tiooi;^  will  bi$  o^  no  ayai), 
Fqr  who  would  ever  have  thought^^  or  iajta  whose  mipd 
wpi^ld  it  ever  have  entered,  that  theSoi^  of  God  himi 
^^  should  descend  from  hqayen,  become;  Viw^f  ^UifiW 
4^th  upon  the  crpss  fqr  our  sii^s,  i^nd  obt^ii^  for  us.tjiM 
^ce.  an4  miercy  of  the  Fatheri  without  any  maritft  cht 
wprks  of  our  own  ?  And^  in  a  word,  Christ  alone,  qtupt 
li^^tl^t  MtW?  and  n^ist  at  onco:  receive  the  honour  a^d 
^prcof  i^orifying  wd  manifesting^  the  father* 

And  to  these  y^jords  h^  a^ds,  ^^  whiipb  thqu  gavest  ma 
<mt  of  the  world."  For,  as  no  one  manifests ,  the.  name 
of  the  Father,  or  permits  it  to  be  preached,  but  himself; 
30>,iiQ  oue  cc^n  undersjta^  or  appreheo^^  thajt  noanijS^ 
t^ixoii,  hut  those  who  c^re  given  unto  him;^  Othf?r3>-a4e< ojl^ 
fe^djed  at  it^.a^d^  eyeu  dispute  it ;  and  with  suc^:  wk)^ad«' 
ne^^e.  they  fitfe^f  tha^  they  even  persecute  aa<j[  blus^ 
E^meit  For  it rmiiikes -directly  a^inst  all  Uieir  wisdom 
^gqld.  sanctity)  awl  again^tt  all  tho§^,  things,  up^n  wlufqh 
t]^y,  pride .  tiiemselyes*. 

l0w,  aJJ[  th^^e ,  tl^^^  w  &wil  for-  op?  sftl?e9t  ^h^ 
^^  fl^AYiqrd.oif^Cl^  l^9r4-a»d:^lH^<:i«V^Wl» 

l»j^]hj.i9|t^;;  andthj^yaifawi^ndspC^thftfun^^^ 
tiiMi^  and,  e^CjiajLy  Aiseful  t^  M;eak.apd  ti^ml^lv^gr COOr: 
scien^f^:  b,uti  above  aljli  t^.  t^)9s#.  who^ri^  temptW  awl 


V, 

J* 


■» ' 


45 

listfeMed  with  that  hi^est  of  all  temptations,  concern- 
ing dieir  election. — If  any  is  concerned  to  know  whether 
le  is  dectedy  or  what  the  mind  of  God  is  toward  him^ 
et.him  consider  the  words  of  Christy  and  especially  the 
present,  and  all  like  it.    And  although  we  cannot  for  a 
sertainty  affirm,  who  shall  stand  in  that  day  and  shall 
indure  unto  the  end,  yet,  this  is  most  true, — that  those 
1^  .are  called  and  have  come  to  a  partaking  of  the 
!jospel,  and  to  this  mainifestation,  that  is,  to  the  Word  of 
Christ,  so  as  to  embrace  it  seriously,  that  is,  to  be  in^' 
rardly  persuaded  of  it,,  and  to  believe  it,  are  certainljf 
hose  who  were  given  unto  Christ  by  the  Father  out  of 
he  world.     And  those  who  were  given  unto  him,  those 
le  vrill  safely  guard,  and  will  take  care  that  not  one  of 
hem  shall  perish.     Even  as  he  himself  saith,  John  vi* 
^  This  is  the  Father's  will  which  hath  sent  me,  th^t  of 
lU  which  he  hath  givaa  me  I  should  lose  nothing.** 
&nd  he  saith  also  a  little  below,  in  this  same  chapteTi 
^  Those  that  thou  gavest  me  I  have  kept,^  and  none  oi 
hem  is  lost  but  the  son  of  perdition."  And  again,  Joha 
:.  where  he  is  speaking  of  the  sheep  whic^  h^tr  his 
^e»  he  says^.^'  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life,  and  they, 
hall  never  parish,  neither  shall  any  man  pluck  them 
Ntt  of  my  band." 

I  would  have  thee  believe  this,  as  the  most  certaid 
rath,-^that  there  is  no  greater  display  of  grace^  nor  any 
greater  work  of  God^  than  that  by  whidi  any  one  id 
irought  to  bear  with  desire,  and  from  the  heart,  tne  Word 
f  Christ,  ^and  to  embrace  it  seriously  and  maj^ify  it^ 
'or,  aa  I  have  said  before,  this  is  not  in  the  natiire  or 
atural  disposition  of  any  one,  nor  do&3  it  arise  from 
ny  human  reason  or  choice :  for,  to  the  embracing  of 
lis,  mach  more  i&  necessary  than  reason  and  free-wil{ : 
s  Christ  saith)  John  vL  ^^  l^o  man  can  come  unto  me^ 
xcept  the  Father  which  hath  sent  me  draw  him."  And 
gguo,  '^  Eleery-  man  therefore  that  hath  heard  and 
earned  of  the  Fa|hQr  (Cometh  unto  me."  Which  wbrds^ 
l^ugh  they  may  appear  to  be  ^^  hard  sayings''  to 
ilse  Christians^  yet,  unto  godly  hearts  that  love  his 
rmidd,  they  ace  sweet  to  hear:  and  ipost  consolator}fy> . 

E  2 


44 

when  they  look  into  the  mind  and  heart  of  Christ  from 
whence  they  flow.  For  what  he  wishes  to  shew,  (lis  I 
have  said,)  is,  that,  to  cleave  unto  Christ,  and  to  be  made 
his  disciples,  is  not  of  human  will  or  purpose,  but  of  the 
will  and  power  of  God  ! 

This  is  most  abundantly  exemplified  if  any  one  will 
look  into  the  world,  how  few  there  are  of  those  who 
love  and  magnify  the  Word  of  Christ;  and  especially, 
where  great  power,  wisdom,  and  sanctity  are  found. 
There,  nothing  is  held  in  greater  contempt,  nothing 
more  execrated  than  the  Gospel.  This  Gospel  the  wise 
children  of  this  world  have  learnt  so  insultingly  to  harass, 
so  dogmatically  to  condemn,  so  jeeringly  to  grin  at  and 
deride,  so  to  arraign  and  besoil  with  sdl  the  virulence  ci 
words,  and  to  persecute  with  such  severity  and  bitter- 
ness, diat  nothing  can  equal  it.  And,  in  a  word,  there  is 
ho  madness  be  it  ever  so  great,  no  vice,  no  crime  be  it 
ever  so  nefarious  and  abominable,  no  error  be  it  ever  so 
absurd  and  impious,  no  devil  be  he  ever  so  bad,  against 
whom  the  devil  is  so  much  enraged  as  against  Christ.  . 
All  sects,  all  blasphemies,  be  mey  ever  so  impious 
against  God,  all  vices  and  open  profanities,  can* be  put 
up  with  and  even  kept  secret  and  covered,  but  this  Man 
Christ  cannot  be  endured ;  he  must  bear  and  endure  all 
things,  and  against  him  every  one  must  pour  out  the 
insatiable  vehom  of  his  mind.  Wherefore,  consider  it  by 
no  means  as  a  trifling  matter,  but  take  it  for  the  greatest 
consolation,  if  thou  feel  that  Christ  and  his  Word  are 
loved  by  thee,  and  that  thou  desirest  from  thy  inmost 
soul  to  cleave  unto  him,  and  to  be  found  in  tliat  poor 
foolish  flock,  who  are  Christ's,  and  who  shall  never 
perish! 

And,  if  thou  shalt  be  assailed  with  such  temptations 
^  these, — '  Although  I  love  Christ  and  delight  to  hear 
of  him,  yet,  who  is  to  know  how  the  Father  which  is  in 
heaven  is  aflected  toward  me?*  This  cogitation  of  mind 
Christ  would  take  away  from  thee,  and  say,  *  Thou 
foolish  one,  thou  couldst  not  cause  thyself  to  rind  a  de- 
light in  my  Word  and  manifestation ;  nor  couldst  thou  feel 
it  unless  it  were  given  thee  of  the  Father.    Dost  thou 


.fiptliear  that  this  is  his  i¥ork.and  grace?  For  he  has 
-HOW  takep  thee  out  of  the  world, .  and  has  given  thee 
•mato  me,  and  has  granted  unto  thee  this  grace  to  hear 
me  with  a  willing  mind,  and  to  love  and  magnify  my 
Word.  In  having  this,  thou  hast  all  things :  nor  hast 
thou  any  need  to  seek  any  thing  farther,  man  to  pray 
.  continudly  that  thou  mayest  not  basely  depart  from  the 
Word/  And,  in  a  word,  whosoever  cleaveth  unto  Christ, 
has  an  abundance  of  grace,  and  can  never  perish,  al- 
though he  may  be  led  aside  by  the  infirmity  of  the  flesh 
and  fall,  (as  it  happened  unto  St.  Peter,)  provided  that, 
he  despise  not  the  Word ;  as  the  fanatical  spirits  do,  who 
boast  of  the  Gospel  and  yet  care  nothing  for  it  whatever. 
Let  none,  however,  arrogate  this  consolation  to  them- 
selves, but  those  miserable,  afBicted,  and  in  many  ways 
wounded  consciences ;  who,  when  they  would  willingly 
be  under  grace,  and  held  in  the  love  of  Christ,  do  not 
desire  to  oppose  his  Word,  but  feel  the  greatest  grief 
that  it  is  every  where  so  maliciously  and  wickedly  im- 
pugned and  oppressed. 

Behold,  thus  does  Christ  always  endeavour  to  draw 
us  upward  through  himself,  and  to  reveal  unto  us  the 
mind  of  the  Father,  and  to  set  the  same  forth  in  the 
most  lovely  and  friendly  point  of  view,  that  we  might 
not  be  afraid  of  him,  but  look  up  to  hinvwith  a  happy 
countenance,  and  approach  him  with  all  confidence. 
And  Aese  words  of  his  are  to  be  most  fervently  loved 
by  us ;  for  no  one  believes  how  great  the  wickedness  and 
malice  of  the  devil  are,  and  especially  in  temptations  of 
that  sort,  whereby  he  endeavours  to  seduce  men  by 
those  ^cute  and  subtle  thoughts  and  imaginations  of 
their  own ;  wherein,  they  endeavour  to  separate,  divide, 
and  disunite  Christ  the  Lord  from  the  Father,  that  they 
might  seek  the  Father  nakedly  without  Christ,  or  loc^ 
upon  Christ  as  a  mere  man.  > 

Hence  it  appears  to  me,  that  .there  is  not  a  more 
difficult  article  of  faith  than  to  believe  that  this  !^Ian 
Christ  is  also  truly  the  Son  of  God.  And  the  reason  is 
this — when  we  believe  thi§,  then  we  have  .gained  the 
victory :    for  we  think  thus — Whatever  Cmrist  does„ 


#jbateyer  he  ipeaks  to  me,  promises  me,  or  giv^es  ^MIk 
M^  with  M^hatever  thing  he  draws,  calls  me  forth,  cqm^ 
iforts  me  and  strengthens  me,  or  when  he  pardons  myaii 
^s  and  bears  with  me,  &c.  all  these  same  things  tlM|| 
Father  does,  as  being  that  one  God.  What  hurt,  then,^ 
4)an  death  and  the  devil,  together  with  all  afflictions  and 
'Adversities,  do  me  ?rr-But  this,  reason  cannot  apprehend ; 
and  here  the.  devil  comes  in  and  helps  it  on,  by  saying,  U 
-that  a  line  and  a  difference  must  be  drawn  between  God  L 
and  Christ,  and  that,  by  two  different  considerations ;  k 
that  we  are  to  look  for  Christ  upon  the  cross,  but  for  I 
God  in  tl^  heaven  above;  and  thus  at  las(  we  are  \ 
brought  to  torment  ourselves  by  saying — Who  knows 
what  God  is  thinking  above,  or  what  he  is  meditating 
ip  his  mind  concerning  me  ! 

While  such  cogitations  occupy  the  heart,  it  is  impos- 
sible that  it  can  be  still  and  stand  fast :  for  in  this  way, 
the  person  God-Man  is  divided  and  separated.  On  the 
cross,  or  in  the  bosom  of  the  mother,  nothing  else  is  be- 
held but  the  Man  Christ,  in  whom  there  is  neither  wrath 
nor  terror,  but  mere  kindness  and  good-will,  and  also 
an  incredible  and  overflowing  charity  ready  to  help  us. 
But,  if  this  view  be  left,  and  thou  climb  up  to  the 
Divine  Majesty,  then  thou  must  of  necessity  run  against 
It  and  be  thunderstruck  and  confounded;  and  thus, 
thou  £dlest  back  the  moment  thou  beginnest  to  with- 
draw thyself  from  the  view  of  grace,  and  to  look  at  the 
naked  Divine  Majesty,  which  is  too  sublime  and  mighty 
for  thine  eyes  to  behold.  For,  out  of  Christ,  nature  can 
see  and  attain  unto  no  grace  or  lov^  in  God ;  because, 
out  of  him,  thete  is  nothing  else  but  wrath  and  damna- 
tion. And  this  is  what  I  call  separating  the  Father  and 
Christ,  or  separating  the  man  from  the  Son  of  God ; 
that  is,  dividing  and  separating  the  one  person  Christ ; 
and  this  is  the  worst  of  all  the  devil's  cunning  and  craft 
For  the  rest,  such  as  the  Sabellians  and  Manichees,  are 
stupid  and  clownish  devils ;  who  teach,  that  it  is  not  to 
be  believed,  either  that  God  is  a  maq,  or  that  a  man  is 
truly  God.  For  that  these  things  are  called  only  objects 
ei   speculation,    and    mere    imaginations   and    subtle 


4r 

lindllts  of  the  so^Wslis,  Nvhich  kre  bp^ti^t  forwarit  Sft 
pjpiuttftioii  in  tills  schools.  But,  however,  when  (Sti& 
mtOst  cotees  to  experience,  i^i^here  We  have  to  stand  by 
IMi,  atid  "whert  the  heart  has  to  fight  agamst  tempta!^ 
bns,  then  is  the  time  to  find  and  feel  what  these 
lib  M  are4 

^  Wie  fitad,  John  tiv.  that  Philip  alsb  was  under  thiK 
Itaipcation,  where  he  says^  '^  Lord,  shew  us  the  Fathet, 
lid  it  sufficeth  us."  As  though  he  had  said,  Thou 
beidcest  unto  us  many  and  great  things  concerning  t!he 
bttielr.  We  S)6e,  hear,  and  well  know  thee ;  but  wtefi 
HI  it  be  that  we  shall  once  see  the  Father  ?  Behold, 
lestf  great  apostles,  who  had  Christ  fot  so  long  a  titoie, 
M  had  been  daily  in  his  society,  are  still  immers^  ih 
Ikmi  carnal  thought,  and  seek  God  oiit  of  Christ,  atld 
ilmrate  him  from  the  Father.  Wherefore,  Christ  i^ 
tOves  his  furiosity,  and  draws  him  down  to  himseKf, 
nd  says,  '^  Philip,  he  that  seeth  me  seeth  the  Fathcir 
Iso.  Why  feayest  thou  then.  Shew  us  the  Father  ?  Be- 
leVest  not  thou  that  I  am  in  the  Father,  and  the  Farikeir 
ime?" 

Thenefore^  these  words  are  to  be  diligently  impressed 
n  otif  mindi^  and  contemplated,  that  we  may  aecustoak 
furselVes  so  to  behold  and  hear  Christ  the  Lord,  tis 
sost  eertainly  beholding  and  hearing  th<$  Father  at  ^tit 
UM  tim^ ;  and  that  we  may  wholly  hide  and  ^hihroil^ 
ttrselves  in  hini  \  vea^  that  we  may  wrap  ourselves  Up 
I  the  same  swaddlmg  clothes,  and  offer  ourselves  uj)  ys 
enaited  and  bound  together  with  him  on  the  tr^6,  aiid 
y  no  means  suffer  ourseTves  to  be  allured  without  tdWard 
)e  leaked  Majesty,  lest  the  devil  should  catch  us  ^d 
talpower  Us ;  whose  whole  aini  id,  to  dissolve  '^  Chfisi 
lanfifest  in  the^sh,"  (as  the  blesSed  Johii,  ihap.  i;  lljld 
,  mifsX  wisely  discourseth  upoh  this  subj^t,)  that  1n€ 
lay  separate  the  Ood-head  ftota  thei  M&n-hc>dd  ^ 
Ihfifcf. 

I  hav^  giv«b  admotiitioliis  6%  bHA  handled  this  pdinl 
le  'ttldr«  diligently,  bedausig  ther«  are  fiisUiy  drrODitoflld 
»irftd  wll6  i&«dftee  \Mi  tlMimselvef)  s»id  biS&^H  by  thiiiif 
igitAtioM;  atid  hl/^  tHirtifeulafly^  k  gftet  MMK9  tpdil 


48 

^hese  words,  **  The  flesh  profiteth  nothing."  As  fhon§i 
God  had  to  do  with  nothing  but  with  the  Spirit.  And 
this  is  most  especially  what  is  called  dissolving  Christ,  and 
tearing  him  from  his  divinity,  as  useless  flesh  and  blood : 
yea  rather,  it  is  dividing  that  one  indivisible  person  of 
Christ.  For  what  is  it  else  but  making  of  Cbrist  two 
persons,  when  they  seek  God  out  of  the  flesh,  and 
openly  affirm  that  it  was  the  man  alone  that  died  for  iis^ 
and  that  his  fleish  is  of  no  use  to  us  whatever.  And  even 
when  they  grant  that  the  flesh  of  Christ  is  of  use  to 
us,  insomucn  as  it  was  that  which  died  for  us ;  yet,  they 
deny,  that,  after  that  was  done,  and  he  ascended  into 
heaven,  we  ought  any  longer  to  cleave  unto  it;  but  say,, 
that  the  mind  must  be  raised  up  more  highly  in  the 
spirit,  and  penetrate  unto  the  Father,  &c.  Therefore^ 
when  they  thus  set  at  nought  the  humanity  and  consider 
it  useless,  it  justly  happens  to  them  that  they  lose  the 
Divinity  also ! 

Hence,  as  I  have  abundantly  declared  already,  be 
who  shall  hereafter  seek  God,  and  would  not  seek  him 
in  vain  but  find  him,  and  yet  does  not  seek  him  m 
Christ  alone,  he  will  not  find  God,  but  the  very  devil 
himself.  For  you  hear  ip  this  scripture,  that  Christ  takes 
all  into  himself,  when  he  says,  '*  I  have  manifested  thy 
name  unto  the  men  which  thou  gavest  me.''  And  he  af- 
terwards saith,  "  Thine  they  were,  and  thou  gavest  them 
me,"  &c.  Here,  I  say,  you  hear,  how  the  Father  binds 
us  to  the  Son  in  his  flesh  and  blood,  as  being  that  one 
who  alone  manifests  and  glorifies  the  Father  m  us  by  his 
external  preaching,  that  we  may  know  where  and  how 
the  Father  is  to  be  found.  And  hence  we  are  given  by 
him  to  Christ,  as  that  one  unto  whom  we  ought  to 
cleave,  and  to  the  words  of  whose  mouth  we  ought 
wholly  to  listen,  then,  flesh  anid  blood  are  by  no  means 
M>  utterly  to  be  rejected ;  but  the  rather,  we  are  to  be 
shrouded  by  them,  as  being  the  place  where  the  Father 
would  hftve  Us  placed.;  yea  where  he  himself  ^will  alone 
.  be  fiqiund^and  nOfWh^re  dse.  So  that,  we  are, thus  to 
'  cOtte  bv  him  unto  the  Father,  and .  to  be  where  he  is  as 
those  who  are  now  taken  out  of  the  world,  and  are  not 


to  remain  wi^  it  utider  the  powo*  of  the  devil,  nor  to 
perish  with  it  Wherefprei  let  every  one  for  himself 
9T®  eternal  thanks  unto  God,  who  has  been  brought  to 
bow  to  the  hearing  of  Christ,  and  to  delight  in  his  Word. 
And  let  each  one  hope  with  a  glad  and  believing  mind, 
.that.  God  will  by  no  means  ever  permit  us  to  perish, 
seeing  that  he  has  given  unto  us  his  only  and  beloved 
.  Son  Christ,  and  has,  in  giving  us  him,  most  abundantly 
and  fully  poured  forth  upon  us  all  grace. 

Tliine  they  were,  and  thou  gavest  them  me. 

These  words  he  speaks  for  the  more  full  conscda- 
.tion  and  up-raising  of  our  weak  and  trembling  con- 
science. For  when  he  uses  so  many  words,  he  does  it 
not  that  his  prayer  might  be  the  more  effectual  to  obtain 
his  request  of  the  Father,  (for  the  Father  knew  all 
things  before,  and  also,  whatsoever  Christ  asks  and 
prays  for,  he  certainly  obtains,)  but,  that  he  might  fill 
our  mind,  which  is  always  trembling  and  afraid  of  God, 
with  an  emboldened  trust,  that  we  might  look  upon  him 
with  joy  and  reliance,  and  run  up  to  him  with  all  confi- 
dence, .  and  be  able  to  stand  in  his  sight.  And  this,  no 
man  upon  earth  can  do  of  himself,  for  whenever  he  pro- 
perly thinks  on  God,  he  trembles,  and  would  run  out  'of 
the  world  if  he  could ;  nay,  he  is  filled  with  alarm  at  the 
very  hearing  of  his  name.  I  am  not  now  speaking  of 
those  ungodly  and  inordinately  living  brutes  and  beasts ; 
but,  of  those  whose  heart  is  touched,  and  who  feel  their 
sins ;  for  it  is  to  them  only  I  am  making  known  these 
things.  For  the  conscience  is  always  in  arms,  feeling  and 
knowing  that  God  is  wrath  against  sinners,  and  that  he 
will  condemn  them.  It  sees,  moreover,  that  it  cannot 
escape  the  wrath  of  God ;  and  therefore,  it  trembles  and 
despairs,  and  is  so  astounded  and  deathy  as  if  thunder- 
struck. Therefore,-  we  should  apply  all  diligence  after 
Christ,  that  he  would  speak  unto  our  heart  these  sweet, 
friendly  and  consolatory  words,, and  by  them  take  away 
those  ,neavy,  bitter,  and  horrible  temptations,,  and  that 
he  would  sweetly  teach  us  of  the  FaUier,  according  to 
the  desires  of  each  mind.— ^Let  u6,  then,  with  all  diti- 


l^nce  ii»pi>ess  these  words  on  our  miAds,  xxnto  'tfni  teth 
solation  and  sakatton  of  oui'  soute. 

"  Thine  they  were,**  saith  he.  This  is  as  if  we  shOttW 
Bay,  He  who  hears  the  Woitl,  who  opens  his  heart  aAd 
iTttrs;  and  receives  the  manifestiition  concerning  the 
iPather,  he  no  longer  belongs  to  the  wOrI4,  but  is  niib^ 
And  as  it  is  certain  that  they  are  tnine,  and  that  I  nm 
tiieir  Lord,  Master,  and  Saviour ;  then,  this  also  h  cer- 
tain, that  they  are  also  thine,  nor  are  they  thine  now 
only,  but  were  thine  also  from  the  beginning,  and  came 
now  unto  thee  by  me. — Thus,  by  the  Word  only,  aU 
wratfi  is  taken  away^  and  whatever  is  dreadful  or  terri- 
ble in  the  thoughts  either  in  heaven  or  in  earth ;  SO  that, 
a  heaven  full  of  grace  and  blessing  is  open  from  ab&iv. 
If,  therefore,  thou  cleave  unto  Christ  the  Lord  by  fetfiu 
then  it  is  the  greatest  of  all  certainties  that  thou  iart  of 
the  number  of  those  whom  God  from  the  beginning 
chose  unto  this, — "  that  they  may  be  thine: "  otherwise, 
they  could  not  be  brought  to  hear  and  receive  such  a 
manifestation. 

Behold,  thus,  this  greatest  of  all  temptations,  and  all 
dispute  about  secret  predestination,  are  removed ;  With 
which,  not  a  few  so  torment  and  distress  themselves, 
that  they  are  not  far  from  madness :  and  yet  they  do  tto^ 
thing  else  by  all  this  anxiety  of  mind,  but  put  theftiselvM 
under  the  power  of  the  devil,  to  draw  them  throjigh 
desperation  into  hell.     For  I  would  have  thee  fully  per- 
suaded of  this, — ^that  all  thoughts. and  mental  disputa^ 
s  tions  of  this  kind  concerning  predestination,  arise  front 
ttie  devil  as  the  author  of  them.    For  those  things  which 
are  delivered  down  to  us  in  the  scripture,  conc^eming 
this  matter,  are  not  delivered  to  that  end,  that  lAfJf 
should  fill  their  miserable  and  trembling  mind  with  dii^ 
tress  and  rack  them  with  terror,  who  feel  their  sins  and 
desire  to  be  delivered  from  them,  but  that  from  tbesfS 
scriptures  they  might  receive  consolation.  Therefore,  let 
these  troubles  fill  them  with  distress  who  haVe  not  the 
Gospel,  and  who  do  not  willingly  hear  Christ.     But  do 
thoa  know,  that  there  is  not  in  all  the  wOrld  a  greatt^ 
coBsolation  than  this  which  Chricft  here  opens  ^ p  and 


«1 

J 
imto  into  thy  hiods ;  nanidy)  that  thou  art  "God's,  «tti 

mB  belored  child;  seeing  that,  his  Word  is  l^yplearaMi 

and  thy  heart  is  sweetly  devoted  to  him.    For  k  CbriA 

he  sweet  to  thee,  and  thy  friend,  and  comfort  thee,  thea 

God  the  Father  himself  comforts  thee.  Therefore,  thoia 

hast  not  an  angry  God,  but  one  fall  of  fatherly  love  antf 

^uce,  which  is  testified  by  these  his  works  whereby  he 

has  given  thee  unto  Christ  the  Lord.  In  these  stand  with 

perseverance  as  a  brazen  wall,  suffering  nothing  else  to 

be  taught  thee,  than  how  the  Father  may  reveal  and  ma- 

nfest  himself  unto  thee  by  the  Word  of  Christ.  For  he 

has  for  that  end  manifested  himself,  that  thou  mightest 

not  ^ve  need  to  seek  any  thing  else,  nor  to  nmke  any 

anxioas  and  curious  inquiriQs,  as  to  what  he  has  de«- 

creed  concerning  thee ;  but  that  thou  mightest  be  able 

to  see  and  know  at  once  in  this  Word  his  whole  w9l 

concerning  thee,  and  all  other  things  that  are  necessary 

onto  thy  sajvation ! 

TTiou  gavest  them  Twe,  and  they  have  kept  thy  word. 

Here  he  binds  (as  they  say)  both  in  one  bond — ^that 
they  are  both  the  children  of  the  Father,  and  the  por- 
tion of  Christ.  They  are  my  disciples,  (saith  he,)  and  yet 
they  were  thine  from  all  eternity.  And  how  are  they 
known  to  be  so  ?  Because,  "  they  have  kept  thy  word. 
And  what  are  we  to  understand  by  this  ?  Why  does  he 
not  say,  rather,  they  have  kept  my  Word?  For  they 
would  justly  be  said  to  be  mine,  (as  we  are  accustomed 
to  speak,)  because  of  their  keeping  my  Word.  But 
Christ  minding  to  make  the  Father  and  himself  one, 
and  to  draw  himself  wholly  unto  the  Father,  speaks  as 
though  he  had  said,  ^  In  that  they  are  my  disciples  and 
hear  me,  they  hear  and  keep  npt  my  word  but  thine/ 
From  which,  we  are  certain  of  this  consolation — ^that 
IK)  word  proceeds  out  of  the  mouth  of  Christ,  than  that 
of  our  heavenly  Father,  and  all  those  things  whereby  he 
rxwl  swi^etly  and  lovingly  calls  and  allures  us  unto  him; 
This  may  be  seen  every  where  in  the  Gospel,  so  that 
thou  mayest  not  dread  any  wrath,  but  promise  to  thy- 
self, with  all  thy  heart,  the  greatest  grace,  goodness,  love, 


is 

"eoDsolation^  and  refuge ;  and  that  thou  art  the  •  Father's 
child  that  lies  in  his  bosom,  and  possesses  all  things  that 
Christ  rives ;  as  now  immediately  follows.  And  see  if 
^  could  speak  to  thee  with  more  kindness  and  conso- 
lation !  What  man  could  express  such  great  things  in 
such  plain  and  simple  words  ?  And  where  is  the  heart 
that  could  comprehend  and  believe  them  ? 

Now  they  have  known  that  all  things  whatsoever 
thou  hast  given  me  are  of  thee. 

All  these  things  are  to  be  referred  to  that  which 
1  have  before  said,  and  are  intended  only  to  the  raising 
«p  of  our  fearful  and  heavy  conscience,  (with  which  wc 
are  more  burthened  than  if  we  were  carrying  the  heaviest 
load,)  and  to  the  lightening  and  gladdening  of  our  heart, 
that  it  might  not  fear  to  draw  near  unto  God. — Having 
the  Word,  (saith  he,)  and  keeping  it,  and  being  my  dis- 
ciples, they  know  that;  all  things  whatsoever  I  have  to  do, 
perform,  and  give,  are  from  thee.  That  is,  they  receive 
them  as  given  and  freely  bestowed  by  thee,  and  doubt 
not  that  they  are  chosen  by  thee,  and  drawn  unto  me. 
JFor,  (saith  he,)  all,  all,  who  are  united  unto  me  by 
fiuth,  and  hear  me,  know^  for  a  certainty,  that  thou  art 
their  Father  and  their  merciful  and  propitious  God. 
For  they  could  neither  hear  me  nor  keep  my  Word, 
unless  thou  thyself  hadst  given  it  unto  them,  and  hadst 
chosen  them  unto  it.  And  this  is  the  fruit  of  the  Word 
where  it  is  received  and  kept :  for,  through  the  benefits 
of  it,  we  attain  unto  the  knowledge  of  all  the  graces  and 
heavenly  blessings  which  are  given  unto  us  of  the  Father 
by  Christ ;  on  which,  we  may  rest  with  a  happy  and 
assured  mind :  and  that  is  what  no  human  reason  or 
nvisdom,  no,  nor  even  the  doctrine  of  the  law  can  effect. 
And  this  is  that  true  and  blessed  light  and  glory  whereby 
we  behold  God  with  open  face  without  any  veil  and 
covering ;  as  Paul  saith,  2  Cor.  iii. 

For  I  have  given  ufito  them  the  words  which  thou 
gavest  me. 

In  these  words  lies  the  whole  force  of  the  matter. 


For  here  we  have  all  things;  and  know  that  all  are  the 
words  of  the  Father  whidi  Christ  speaks,  to  whose 
mouth  alone  we  are  to  listen,  all  Other  thoughts  being 
cast  behind  us.-r-And  behold  how  plainly  he  speaks  of  the 
external  Word,  which  is  pronounced  by  the  corporal  voice 
throu^  Christ,  and  received  by  the  ear ;  that  no  one 
might  set  this  at  nought,  or  consider  it  as  unnecessary : 
as  many  new  and  mad  spirits  do,  seducing  themselves, 
and  thinking  that  God  ought  to  deed  in  some  other  way 
with  them ;  that  is,  by  secret  revelations  of  the  Spirit ; 
whereby,  they  draw  away  themselves  from  God  and 
Christ  unto  the  devil.  For  hear  thou  hearest  of  no  other 
means  or  way  than  the  Word,  which  Christ  has  spread  , 
abroad  by  his  living  preaching,  iand  yet  calls  it  the  Word 
of  the  Father,  which  he  received  of  him  from  heaven, 
and  brought  down  unto  us;  and  he  ileclares,  that  its 
power  is  such,  and  that  it  produces  such  fruits,  that,  by 
it,  we  know  the  will  and  mind  of  the  Father,  and  have 
in  it  all  things  that  are  necessary  to  our  salvation;  as  the 
following  words  more  fully  shew. 

And  they  have  received  theniy  and  have  known  stirehf 
that  I  came  out  frofn  thee,  and  they  have  believed  th4tt 
thou.did,st  send  me. 

Only  observe  how  many  words  he  employs  in  setting 
forth  this  one  same  thing ;  and  that,  because  he  considers 
it  of  the  greatest  importance,  that  we  should  see  how 
willing  and  desirous  he  is  to  refresh  weak  consciences ; 
knowing  so  well,  how  much  labour  and  distress  he  must 
undergo,  who,  in  the  midst  of  temptations,  would  raise  up 
his  helart  so  as  to  behold  God  with  a  serene  countenance. 
And,  therefore,  let  iis  not  be  tired  of  hearing  the  same 
thing  so  many  times  repeated,  nor  of  deeply  pondering 
them  again  and  again.  But  let  every  one  set  these  words 
before  him  to  be  most  diligently  meditated  on,-^ — why,- 
and  for  what  cause,  Christ  said  these  things ;  namely, 
that  he  might  set  plainly  before  us  the  heart  and  love  of 
the  Father,  and  might  enable  us  in  all  things  to  trust 
confidently  in  him.  The  meaning,  therefore,  of  these 
wordsJstne.  same  as  that  of  the  preceding,  —  that  the 


54 

eSecX  of  the-  Word  of  God,  where  it  is  seriously  ni* 
ceived,  is  such,  that  we  may  know  that  Christ  came 
forth  from^  and  was  sent  by,  the  Father ;  that  is,  that  all 
things  whatsoever  he  saith  are  the  words  and  will  of  th^ 
Father,  and  all  that  he  does  and  works,  the  work  and 
command  of  the  Father ;  and  that  all  tliose  things  toge;" 
tber^  are  for  our  help^ — And  this  is  the  knowledge^  of 
wluch  we  have  treated  before,  in  which  eternal  life 
stands. 

This,  however,  is  a  treasure  that  is  entirely  hidden 
ftom  the  whole  world,  and  to  which  it  can  never  arrive ; 
and  it.  is  that  knowledge  which  no  human  reason  or  wis* 
dom  can  attain  unto :  nor  is  it  attainable  by  any  other 
means,  or  in  any  other  way,  than  through  the  Word  of 
Christ.  He  that  hears  this,  attains  unto  a  right  know<» 
ledge,  by  which,  he  is  rendered  sure,  and  which  will  not 
permit  him  to  go  wrong ;  so  that  he  is  enabled,  in  the 
face-  of  all  suggestions  of  the  devil  and  all  sensations  of 
his^  own  conscience,  to  conclude  and  say,  ^  I  now  know, 
that  I  have  a  merciful  Father  and  friend  in  heaven,  who, 
in  unspeakable  love  and  goodness,  sent  unto  me  his 
Beloved  Son,  and  gave  him  unto  me,  together  with  all  the 
benefits  that  he  obtained  and  procured.  Why  thett 
should  I  have  a  thought  of  fearing  sin,  death  dr  the 
devili^' — But  we  must  look  to  it  again  and  again,  that 
we  hold  the.  Word  fast,  rejecting  all  other  thoughts 
whatever;  and  that  we  suffer  ourselves  to  hear  and 
know  nothing  else  concerning  God,  but  that  which 
Christ  speaks^  For,  as  I  have  said  already,  this  is  th0 
only  right,  and  the  royal  way  of  holding  communication 
with  God,  and  by  following  this  we  shall  not  err, — ^to. 
remain  very  low  in  our  own  place,  to  cleave  close  tq 
Christ,  and  to  fix  our  fiaith  in  his  words  by  which  he  so 
aweetly  draws  us. to  th€i  Father;  and  thus,  we  shall  find 
nothing  of  wra^  or  terror,  nothing  but  consolation,  joy^ 
»id.peac6.  '- 

Here  he^  pours  forth  his  prayier  indeed,  and  shews 
why  he^  labours  so  muchr^th^t  it  is  for  his  Christians, 
For:  having  begun  to  pray  above  that  the  Father  would 
glorify  him,  and  having  shewn  how  he  had  glorified  tbfi; 


*5 

Fatbor  by  \^  preaching  and  maatfeetation  to  his  disci* 
des,  3Q  tW  thej  had  cecedved  his  Word,  and  had 
kiiQwu  the  Father,  he^  naw  commends  them  to  thia 
Faliier^  a&  those  by  livhom  or  through  whom  ha  is  to  ha 
gjiorified ;  that  ha  would  pratejQt  them  in  the  world; 
together  with  thpse.who  should  come  after  them.  And' I 
have  no  doubt^  that  this  prayer  wa3  heard,  not  only 
becawe  he  merited  thajt  hearing  by  his  passion,  and  deatl^ 
hut;  alao  on  the  account  that  ha  here  mentions^  '^  AH 
thii\e  are  mioe,  and  mine  are  tUoe."  As  thoug|h  he  had 
said,  we  are  joined  together  in  such  a  union,,  that  whatr 
evei:  I  ask  I  am  sure  I  shall  obtain. 

From  tlus  there  arises  again,  and  may  he  drawn  no 
spiall  degree  of  consolation,  and  of  gladness  to  our  minds: 
sa  that  wa  may  say  with  an  assured  £aith,  and  con* 
cluidi?,  tbat^  to  all  certainty,  those  for  whom  Chnat 
Mf^ed,  will  he  d^ended  against  all  ragp  and  fury  of  thf 
QWiU  and  agfiin&t  all  sins  and  temptations  of  every  kind; 
Ajod  h^re  we,  hear  with  open  ears  for  whom  he  prays?*** 
fox  those  receive  his  Word  and  follow  after  him  in  a^c? 
tiQai  with  all  their  heart,  and  embrace  him,  and  hold 
£Eia(.his  words  with  both  their  hands  (as  they  say,.)  Thesis 
tbfSA<  may  rest  assured,  with  all  their  mind,  that  they 
are  tD  a  certainty  comprehended  ia  this  prayer,  and  wiu 
ever-  reinain  in  the  hand  of  Christ  their  Lord. 

But,  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  terrible  to  hear  what  he 
tbien  adds — "  I,  pray  not  for  the  world."  Here  then  let 
09^  look  to  it  with  all  our  soul,  that  we  be  not  found  in 
diat  multitude  for  whom  Christ  disdained  to  pray.  For 
nothing:  el^- can.  be  tbe  consequence  but  that  the  whole 
of  this,  multitude  must  c^tainly  perish  with  utter  per*^ 
dition,  as  being,  those  against  whom  Christ  is  folly  set, 
and  with  whom  he  will  have  nothing  to  do.  And  these 
words,  ouglit.  to  strike  terror  into  the  worlds,  that  it 
ahoald  be  no  wond^  if  they  were  shivered  to  death 
with  U^o^lii^  at  hearing  this,  horrible  judgment.  But 
tlwM  tlviigA-sefvo:  to  them  ridiculous^  and  they  r^cnain 
U)^,tbe:SMi^.hMdness  of  heaiit  and  blindness,  a^ 
i  vWfi  reginit^  tbem>.  than /if  they  were  the  words  of  & 


56 

But  how  does  this  accord,  that  he  refuses  to  pray 
for  the  world,  when  he  himself,  Matt.  v.  has  taught  us 
to  pfay  even  for  our  enemies  who  persecute  us,  and  who 
load  with  revilings  both  our  name  and  our  doctrine? 
To  such  an  objection  this  short  answer  is  to  be  given. 
To  pray  for  the  world,  and  not  to  pray  for  the  world, 
are  each  right  and  good.  For,  in  what  immediately 
follows,  he  saith,  '^  I  pray  not  for  these  alone,  but  for 
them  also  which  shall  believe  on  me  through  their 
word."  And  these,  before  thev  are  converted,  must  <rf 
necessity  be  of  the  world :  therefore,  he  must  pray  for 
the  world  on  account  of  those  who  are  yet  to  be  con- 
verted. St.  Paul  was  undoubtedly  then  of  the  world 
when  he  persecuted  and  killed  the  Christians ;  and  yet, 
Stephen  prayed  for  him  that  he  might  be  converted. 
And  so  also  Christ  prayed  upon  the  cross,  ^^  Father; 
forgive  them,  for  they  know  not  what  they  do."  And 
hence,  we  see  it  is  true,  that  he  does  pray  for  the  worid, 
and  yet  does  not  pray  for  the  world. — feut  there  is  this 
difference.  He  does  not  pray  for  the  world  in  the  same 
sense  as  he  prays  for  his  Christians.  For  his  Christians, 
and  all  that  shall  be  converted,  he  prays,  that  they  may 
remain  in  a  right  faith,  and  go  on  and  prosper  therdn, 
mid  never  depart  from  it ;  and  that  those  who  are  not 
in  that  faith,  may  turn  from  their  former  life  and  come 
unto  it.  And  this  is  the  best  form  and  manner  of  pray-  ' 
ing  for  the  world,  and  which  we  ought  in  all  respects  to  '"^ 
imitate.  But,  as  the  state  of  the  world  now  is,  and  all 
its  actions  and  counsels,  whereby  it  so  tumultuously  and 
furiously  rages  against  the  Gospel,  it  never  in  any  way 
came  into  his  mind  to  pray,  that  such  madness  mi^t 
please  God,  or  that  he  should  knoViingly  and  designedly 
overlook  and  permit  such  a  combined  armament.  Foi^ 
on  the  contrary,  prayer  is  rather  to  be  made,  that  he 
would  oppose  their  furious  attempts,  and  frustrate  .their 
impious  designs ;  even  as  the  prophet  Moses,  Num.  xvl  ' 
is  recorded  to  have  done  against  Korah  and  his  iiqiti^ 
pany,  wh(>  fomented  a  sedition  and  rose  up  againsthho, 
and  assumed  to  themselves  his  ofHce  and  the  priesthood;- 
wherefore  Moses  filled  with  "  wrath  "  cried  out  unto  the. 


57  • 

Lord,  and  said,  "  R^pept  not  thou  their  offetng.'' 
Moreover,  King  David,  2  Sam.  xv.  when  he  was 
driven  out  of  the  kingdom  .by  his  son,  and  when  his 
chief  and  wisest  counsellor  had  deserted  him  and  gone 
over  to  his  son,  entreated  of  the  Lord  to  "  turn  the 
counsel  of  Ahithophel  into  foolishness."  And  he  fre- 
quently prays  in  the  same  way  in  his  Psalms  against  his 
enemies  and  persecutors. 

Such  a  prayer  however  is  not,  particularly  speaking, 
levelled  against  the  person,  but  against  the  furious 
attempts  and  machinations  of  the  person,  by  which  he 
persecutes  the  Word  of  God,  and  which  will  not  suffer 
the  7)erson  to  be  a,  partaker  of  grace.  Even  as,  on  the 
other  hand,  Christ,  when  praying  for  his  Christians,  not 
only  prays  for  their  persons,  but  their  offices,  their  con- 
dition, and  their  whole  life.  For,  as  the  life  stands  and 
is,  so  must  the  person  be.  And,  in  a  word,  as  far  as 
concerns  the  person,  we  are  to  pray  for  all  men  without 
difference,  and  our  prayer  is  to  be  shared  among  all 
alike,  and  to  be  uttered  aloud  before  the  whole  multitude, 
both  of  friends  and  enemies ;  that  those,  who  are  our 
enemies,  may  be  converted  and  made  friends;  and  if 
not,  that  their  actions  and  counsels  may  be  frustrated 
and  prevented  from  injuring  us;  and  that  their  whole 
person  also  may  go  to  destruction  rather  than  the 
Gosp^  and  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  » 

This  is  the  way  that  the  holy  martyr  Anastatia,  a 
wealthy  Roman  matron  and  a  woman  of  high  birth, 
took  against  her  husband  Publius,  who  was  an  idolater 
and  a  cruel  persecutor  of  the  Christians.  He  had  shut 
her  up  in  a  dreadful  prison,  and  designed  that  this  good 
and  noble  woman  should  remain  and  die  there.  She, 
however,  while  bound  in  prison,  wrote  to  Bishop  Chry- 
sogonus,  and  requested  him  to  pray  continually  for  her 
husband ;  that,  if  it  were  the  will  of  God,  he  might  be 
converted  to  the  faidi ;  but  if  not,  that  his  attempts  and 
determination  of  mind  might  be  frustrated,  and  that  a 
bound  and'  an  end  might  be  put  to  his  cruelty  and  rage. 
And  thus,  by  her  prayers,  she  brought  her  husband  to 

VOL.  II.  F 


5t 

death.     For  he  soon  went  out  to  war,  aiid  never  re- 
turned ! 

-  In  this  way  let  us  also. pray  for  our  angry  enemies; 
not  that  God  would  confirm  them,  or  defend  their  de- 
signs, as  he  would  those  of  Christians;  nor  that  he 
would  help  them;  but  that,  if  they  were  to  be  con- 
verted, he  would  in  mercy  and  grace  convert  them ;  or, 
if  they  would  not  be  converted,  that  he  would  oppose 
their  designs,  and  restrain  them  in  some  way,  and  put 
an  end  to  their  cruelty.  For,  as  the  one  or  the  othar 
must  be,  it  is  better  that  the  world  should  perish  utterly 
than  that  Christ  be  lost,  and  that  lies  should  fall  before 
the  truth.  And  it  is  the  will  and  mind  of  God,  that  the 
truth  should  stand,  and  that  lies  should  be  exposed  to 
shame  and  derision. 

Christ,  therefore,  in  these  words,  has  respect  unto 
two  classes.  The  one,  that  poor  simple  flock,  who  have 
the  Word  of  God,  and  who  ought  to  exercise  the  same. 
The  other,  that  great  and  numerous  multitude,  which  is 
determined  to  oppress  the  former,  and  which  strives 
with  all  their  might  and  with  all  the  wisdom,  machina- 
tions, and  plots  they  can  contrive,  to  efface  and  utterly 
abolish  the  Gospel.  And  here,  we  at  length  see  what  the 
world  is,  and  who  is  "  of  the  world,"  and  who  may  be 
s^id  to  be,  "  not  of  the  world."  For  Christ  here  espe- 
cially calls  them  **  of  the  world,"  who  are  enragpd 
againat  the  Gospel,  and  who  will  not  hear  it .  with  pa- 
tience. Which  is  no  longer  to  be  called  a  human,  but  a 
desperate  and  diabolical  sin,  infused  by  the  devil  him- 
sielf ;  who  thus  reigns  in  the  world,  and  intoxicates  and 
exasperates  the  hearts  of  men  with  his  furious  hatcect 
against  Qirist  and  his  Word.  For  this  is  his  nature, 
that,  wherever  he  can  find  out  or  urge  on  any  thing,  he. 
will  fight  against  the  Word  with  every  insult  and  re- 
proach, will  condemn  it  most  unmercifully  and  viru- 
li^tly,  and  persecute  it  with  every  cruelty ;  and  all  this 
fppm  his  hatred  and  unspeaJcable  enmity  against  Christ ; 
against  whpm,  be  directs  all  his  efforts  and  powers. 
And,  where  be  can  do  nothing  by  violence,  there,  so 


great  fe  fife  mXke,  thfef  he  will  ffee  froth  th'eli)  tethfer 
than  hear  him ;  leaviixg  no  mea^s  untried,  whereby  he' 
might  pour  put  his  bitter  and  more  than  nmddened  rage 
against  the  Word,  and  all  who  love  and  desire  it. 

Of  this  we  see  abundant  proofs  in  his  children  and 
ministers  ^t  this  day; — how  they  become  more  and 
more  driven  on  and  maddened  day  by  day  in  their  ragi^ 
attd  fi!rry,  and  know  not  how  to  blaspheme  our  Gospel 
enotigh,  nor  how  to  persecute  us  enough  so  as  to  satisfy 
the  lust,  cruelty,  and  atrotity  of  their  minds.  And,  it 
they  can  do  nothing  farther,  they  will  as  least  stop  theit 
ears,  and  flee  from  lh6  Word,  as  they  would  from  the 

Behold,  Such  a  signal  and  notable  fruit  is  the  world, 
that,  from  the  child  you  may  at  once  know  the  father ! 
What  else  then  aris  we  here  to  do  6t  to  pray  for  ?  but 
that,  God  would  bring  hdp  to  '^  his  own,"  and  that  he 
would  leave  nothing  for  them  to  behold  in  the  Gospel 
and  his  Christikris,  but  thdt  Which'  they  can  the  least 
bear  and  which  galls  theitt  the  most  ?  To  the  end  that, 
tbiey  ihi^t  the  sootier  coitie  to  destruction,  sinc6  they 
will  riot  bear  to  hear  of  grace,  nor  of  prayers  on  thei* 
behalf.  And  where  goodtiess  and  loving-kindtiess  dl*e 
reiiiised,  there'  Wrath'  and  iiidighiatioil  must  prevail.  For, 
by  the  grace  of  God,  we  are  superior  to  all  such  in  this 
respect, — that  we  can  trust  ih  this  prayer,  and  be  as- 
sured, that  our  doctrine  Will  stand  and  overcome,  even 
though  they  shbtild  rage  against  ft  mbre  fiercely  and 
atrociously  than  they  now  do,  and  thit,  with  all  theik*. 
power  and  with  the  aid  even  of  devils ;  and  that  they 
themselves  will  shortly  come  to  destruction  hov^  firmly 
soever  they  may  now  sit.  For  they  are  included  in 
this  prayer,  which  will  hurl  them  down,  if  Christ  in 
heaven  has  any  power  to  statid  in  safi^ty  against  suibh 
giants.  They  will  sit  iB  their  high  seat  roir  a  little  time 
longer,  reciting  confident  in  then-  fii-mhess,  as  though  no 
I  one  could  ever  ca^t  them  down ;  but  they  are  On  the 
VBTy  brink  of  destruction,  although  they  have  detef- 
mitied  in  themselves  \o  oppress  all  others.  Wherefore,  in 

F  2 


/ 


60 

this  matter^  there  is  need  of  faith,  for  if  we  needed  not 
that,  neither  should  we  need  prayer. 

But  for  them  which  thou  hast  given  me ^  for  they  art 
thine. 

Here  he  again  repeats  the  fore-cited  words,  that  he 
might  impress  this  the  more  forcibly  upon  us.  I  cannot 
(saith  he)  pray  for  the  world,  for  they  are  not  thine,  but 
persecute  with  hatred  and  bitterness  those  whom  thou 
hast  given  me.  But,  I  pray  for  these,  because  they  are 
thine  inheritance  and  possession.  These  are  my  care 
and  my  concern.— I  have  already  abundantly  shewn 
why  he  thus  expresses  himself  in  these  words,  *'  them 
which  thou  hast  given  me."  For,  he  that  is  Christ's  is 
the  Father's  also.  And  they  are  Christ's,  as  he  himself 
declares,  who  receive  the  Word  from  him  and  keep  it. 
And  this  is  the  most  certain  evidence  of  the  Father  also 
being  merciful  and  appeased.  For  no  one,  as  I  have  often 
repeated,  embraces  the  Word,  nor  will  keep  it,  who  is 
not  a  child  of  God,  and  given  unto  Christ  by  the  Father. 

I  have  given  these  admonitions,  even  as  it  is  neces- 
sary to  b§  done  again  and  again,  because  I  see  that 
Christ  himself  does  not  so  often  repeat  these  words  for 
nothing ;  for  he  therein  plainly  shews,  how  highly  im- 
portant it  is  above  all  things  to  endeavour  to  remain 
/Under  the  power  of  the  Word.  May  God  rather  permit 
U3  to  fall  (if  we  must  in  something  fall  and  sin)  into 
every  kind  of  folly,  so  that  we  make  not  shipwreck  of 
this  treasure ;  that  is,  Christ  hidden  in  his  Word.  What 
turpitude  and  shame  soever  shall  come  upon  us,  the 
whole  of  its  evil,  be  it  as  much  as  it  may,  wiir easily  be 
compensated  by  the  excellence  of  this  treasure.  For  this 
it  is  that  bruises  the  head  of  the  devil ;  that  is,  which 
subverts  his  kingdom  and  all  hi^^power.  And  therefore, 
he  can  be  patient  under  €very  thing  else,  and  can  bear 
all  things  else ;  and  he  knows  also  how  to  yield  and 
concede  ;•  but,  this  one  thing  he  cannot  endure.  For 
where  there  is  no  exercising  of  the  Word,  there  he  knows 
how  to  make  impressions   according  to  his  own  will. 


61 

And,  in  a  word,  no  sanctity  of  life,  no  moral  goodness 
nor  wisdom,  can  stand  against  his  power  and  influence, 
— nothing  but  the  Word  only !  Therefore,  our  greatest 
care  ought  to  be,  that  we  suffer  him  not  to  pluck  us 
away  from  the  Word;  And  against  this  Word,  the  devil 
watches  with  all  his  thoughts  and  powers.  Hence,  he 
who  desires  to  hold  fast  this,  and  whose  whole  care  and 
prayers  ,are  directed  to  that  one  thing — for  him  is  this 
consolation  contained  in  the  prayer  of  Christ, — that  he 
shall  hold  it  fast,  and  that  all  the  attempts  of  the  devil 
shall  be  frustrated  and  in  vain. 

And  all  mine  are  tkiney  and  thine  are  mine. 

This  is  indeed  speaking  plainly  and  copiously.  But 
it  would  not  have  been  sufficient,  had  he  only  said  "  all 
mine  are  thine."  For  this  any  one  can  say,  that  all  that 
we  have  is  God's.  But  this  is  far  greater  when  Christ 
inverts  it,  and  says  again,  **  and  all  thine  are  mine." 
This  no  creature  can  say  before  God.  And  these  words  • 
are  not  only  to  be  understood  concerning  that  which  the 
Father  gave  him  in  the  world,  but  concerning  that  one 
divine  essence  which  is  common  to  himself  with  the 
Father.  He  does  not  speak  with  respect  to  his  disciples 
and  Christians  only,  but  he  embraces  at  once  all  things 
that  the  Father  possesses, — his  eternal  and  omnipotent 
essence,  life,  truth,  righteousness,  &c.  That  is,  he  openly 
confesses,  that  he  is  the  true  God.  For  these  words, 
"  all  thine,"  leave  nothing  not  included.  And  if  all 
things  are  his,  then  eternal  divinity  is  his,  or  he  could 
not  have  dared  to  use  the  word  '*  all." 

And  we  are  not  to  forget  this, — the  reason  why 
Christ  uses  this  word  "  all,"  and  what  he  intends 
diereby.  By  this  word  "  all,"  he  would  address  himself^ 
to  those  who  cleave  unto  his  Word.  And  therefore,  he 
admonishes  us  to  abide  by  him,  and  to  know  that  God 
speaks,  works,  and  bestows  all  things  by  him,  and  that 
all  the  words  and  all  the  works  of  God  are  to  be  sought 
in  him.  Hence,  in  whatever  way  Christ  carries  himself 
towards  thee  and  deals  with  thee  by  promising,  by 
alluring,  by  comforting,  by  bearing,  by  giving,  all  the 


same  thii^  does  the  Fi^th^jr  ^[^Q.  Ii)  a  word,  thou  c^i^fist 
see  ^d  near  nothing  in  C^risJ  without  se^ng  n\d 
hearing  the  Father  at  th^  ^in^  tin^. 

Behold,  jhis  is' what  Johp  pnfprce^  ^n  ^iipost  all  the 
words  of  hi^  pospel  j  that,  Joying  i^j^e  i^l  thop^  high 
tpwering  imadnations  in  whic)i  ri^aso^  and  ^'ise  jneft  lare 
occupied,  and  by  which  they  attempt  to  s/sek  God  Jn 
his  Majesty  out  of  Christ,  we  might  seek  him  in  Christ. 
For  God  will  lie  in  Christ  ip  the  cradle,  cry  in  thg  bo^pip 
of  the  mqthery  and  hang  upoq  th^  cross.  But  these  wise 
ones,  will  ascend  into  heaven  and  curiously  inquire, 
how  he  sits  there  and  governs  the  world.  These,  how- 
ever, are  most  perilous  thoughts,  if  not  rightly  used :  for 
they  are  all  destined  to  remain  here  below,  that  we 
might  not  feel  opt  nor  see  aijy  higher.  And  if  thou  hj^st 
a  n^nd  to  reach  unto  and  to  apprehend  all  things,  what 
God  is,  what  he  is  doing,  and  what  he  is  revolving  in  bis 
mind,  then  seek  them  no  where  Ijut  where  he  has  placed 
find  fixed  tl^ena  ;  and  that,  thou  hearest  in  these  words, 
-  *'  all  thine  ^re  mine."  Therefore,  a  Christian  ought  to 
know  that  God  is  to  be  sought  after  and  found  no 
lyhere  but  in  the  bosom  of  the  Virgin,  and  upon  the 
cross,  or  as,  ^nd  where,  Christ  shews  himself  in  the 
Word. 

To  the  same  effect  also  speaketh  Paul,  1  Cor.  ii. 
**  And  I,  brethren,  when  I  came  to  you,  came  not  with 
excellency  of  speech  or  of  wisdoip.  For  I  did  not  judge 
inyself  to  know  any  thiqg  among  you  ss^ve  Jesus  Christ 
^nd  him  crucified."  Here  behold  this  chief  of  the 
apostles,  who  had  been  favoured .  with  such  wonderful 
revelations,  knew  not  jiow  to  boj^st  of  ^ny  thing  greater 
and  more;  excellent  against  th§  false  apostles,  nor  tp 
preach  ainy  thing  greater,  than  that  (as  the  world  con- 
sider him)  miserable  God,  and  him  crucified.  But, 
wh^^t  do  those  arrogant  and  high-soaring  spirits,  who 
hunt  after  great  "^  and  wonderful  revelations,  thinking 
tjiat  they  n^ust  soar  yet  higher,  ftnd  lift  up  their  spirits? 

The  Apostle  writes  in  the  same  way  also,  Coloss.  ii ; 
that  in  Christ "  are  held  all  th^  treasures  of  his  wisdom  and 
knovyledge."    By  whicl^  wor4s  he  would  ?^y,  Dost  thoiji 


6S  ^ 

wish  to  soar  on  high  and  to  know  something  great  m<i 
wonderful,  to   become  famous  in  knowledge,   yea,  to 
search  into  all  the  divine  mysteries  and  wisdom ;  then, 
diligently  search  this  book,  and  thou  wilt  therein  find  all 
things  worthy  and  necessary  to  be  known. — But  those 
things  (saith  he)  lie  concealed  and  hidden;    nor  can 
any  one  see  them,  nor  attain  unto  the   knowledge  of 
them  but  by  faith.    For,  with  the  eyes,  thou  wilt  see  no- 
thing but  a  poor  infirm  man,  as  though  forsaken  both  of 
God  and  men.     But  if  thou  believe  the  Word,  then, 
under  that  weakness  and  foolishness,  thou  wilt  behold 
all  the  counsel  of  God,  together  with  his  wisdom  and 
power.     But,  if  not,  then  diou  mayest  indeed  soar  on 
high  and  enter  upon  the  abyss  of  the  divine  Majesty, 
but  thou  wilt  dash  thy  head  against  it,  and  wilt  precipi* 
tate  thyself  headlong.     For  the  devil  is  delighted  with 
those   wonderful  cogitations   on    sublime  things,   and 
knows  well  how  to  put  the  mask  upon  the  mind,  and 
make  it  appear  as  if  it  were  God  himself;  in  order  that 
he  might  present  him  to  the  mind  to  be  beheld  arrayed 
in  all  his  glory  and  majesty;  as  he  presented  him  to 
Christ  himself.  Matt.  iv.     In  a  word,  when  the  dispute 
is  concerning  great  wisdom,  holiness,  and  majesty,  there 
the  devil  is  a  master  and  a  god  in  the  world.    And  once, 
he  soared  so  high  that  he  could  not  go  higher,  when  he 
set  his  mind  upon  making  himself  equal  with  God,  and 
sitting  in  the  place  of  God :  and  in  this  he  continues 
his  determination  to  this  day,  always  desiring  to  be  wor- 
shipped, for  majesty,  as  a  god.    And  God  condemned 
fhim  in  his  iniquity,  when  he  humbled  himself  down  to 
the  lowest  of  all  conditions,  and  took  upon  him  the 
laeanest    form,   and    under    that  concealed    himself; 
namely,  he  placed  himself  in  the  bosom  of  "^  Virgin,  and 
will  be  found  no  where  else.    And  there  the  devil  cannot 
cerae.     For  he  is  a  proud  and  arrogant  spirit,  although 
he  pretends  to  the  greatest  humility.  Wherefore,  no  one 

j  can  more  effectually  deceive  him,  than  by  nailing  him- 
self to  that  cross  wherie  God  nailed  himself.  For  if  he 
find  thee  ^y  where  else,  then  all  is  over  with  thy  salva- 

^1  tion;  for  he  will  snatch  thee  away  to  destruction,  just  as 


64 

a  hawk  would  snatch  away  a  chicken  Outside  of  the 
wings  of  the  hen. 

And  I  am  glorified  in  them. 

-  We  have  before  abundantly  shewn,  what  to  be  glo- 
rified means ;  and  moreover,  in  what  way  Christ  desires 
to  be  glorified  by  the  Father.  And  he  had  a  little  above 
shewn,  how  he  is  glorified  in  us;  where  he  says,  "I 
have  given  unto  them  the  words  which  thou  gavest  me; 
and  they  have  received  them,  and  have  known  surely 
that  i  came  out  firom  thee — and  that  thou  didst  send 
ine."  Therefore  Christ  being  glorified  here  means,  our 
having  that  excellent  and  clear  knowledge  whereby  the 
Father  manifests  himself  unto  us,  that  we.  might  know 
what  he  has  given  unto  us  by  this  his  Son.  And,  m  a 
word,  as  he  is  glorified  by  the  Father  in  the  Word  and 
revelation,  so  also  he  is  glorified  in  us  by  faith  and  con- 
fession. And  he  is  rightly  said  to  be  glorified,  and  stands 
in  need  of  that  glorifying,  (not  indeed  on  his  own  ac- 
count, but  on  ours,  as  he  saith,  "  I  am  glorified  in 
them,")  seeing  that  he  is,  in  the  sight  of  the  world, 
inost  ignominiously  obscured,  and  held  in  no  honour. 
For,  as  I  have  observed,  he  that  looks  at  Christ  with 
the  eyes  of  reason,  sees  nothing  but  a  sorrowful  and 
miserable  man,  utterly  despised  and  reviled.  He  lived 
for  thirty  years  in  the  world  iq  entire  ignominy  and 
dishonour,  and  was  one  whom  no  man  regarded;  and 
when  he  ought  (as  men  would  suppose)  to  have  made 
manifest  and  established  his  glory,  he  submitted  himself 
to  be  crucified,  and  slain  in  the  most  degrading  manner. 
Wherefore,  the  sum  of  the  words  is  thus : — *  I  am 
disgracefully  obscured,  blasphemed,  and  condemned  by 
the  world,  so  that  there  is  no  one  who  is  not  offended  at 
me.  My  disciples,  however,  who  believe  that  I  was  sent 
of  thee,  and  that  "  all  thine   are   mine,"  glorify  me. 

For  in  this  I  am  made  manifest  and  set  before  them, — 
they  look  upon  me  in  a  different  manner  from  the  world ; 
namely,  as  thy  Son,  and  as  the  true  and  eternal  God  and 
the  Lord  of  the  whole  world,  of  the  devil,  of  sin,  and  of 

death.    But  this  the  disqiples  discovered  by  no  human 


» _ 


6s 

reason ;  therefore,  th^  have  now  another  light ;  namely, 
the  Word  which  thou  hast  given  me,  and  which  I  have 
given  unto  them.  And  now  they  no  longer  look  upon 
me  as  the  world  does,  according  to  their  own  under- 
standing, but,  according  to  the  Word  which  they  hear 
from  me,  and  which  was  manifested  by  the  Father. 

And  consider  not  this  a  light  or  trifling  consolation, 
that  Christ  glories  before  the  Father  that  this  work  is 
wrought  in  us, — that  he  is  glorified  .in  us.  Nor  is  this 
honour  to  be  changed  by  us  for  the  riches  and  dignity 
of  the  whole  world, — that  he  desires  to  be  glorified 
through  the  weakness  of  our  flesh  and  blood ;  and  that 
it  so  pleases  God  the  Father,  and  is  a  matter  of  such 
consideration  with  him,  that  Christ  is  praised  and  mag- 
nified by  us.  For  there  are  by  no  means  a  small  number 
who  boast  of  the  Gospel  and  know  how  to  prate  a  great 
deal  about  it,  but  this  glorifying  is  not  so  common.  For 
to  glorify  Christ  and  to  believe  in  him,  is  nothing  more 
or  less,  than,  as  I  have  said,  to  be  fully  persuaded  that 
he  who  has  Christ  has  the  Father  also,  together  with  all 
grace,  all  heavenly  blessings,  and  life  eternal.  Of  this, 
9ie  saints  of  this  world,  together  with  the  Pope  and  his 
sects,  know  nothing.  For  although*  many  speak  of 
Christ  and  imitate  our  words, — that  he  is  the  Son  of 
God,  by  whose  benefits  we  are  delivered;  yet,  they 
never  learn  and  experience  how  he  is  to  be  received, 
made  use  of,  sought,  found,  and  held  fast ;  or  how  the 
Father  is  to  be  apprehended  through  him  ;  but  are  all 
the  while  with  Socrates  soaring  aloft  in  their  vain  thoughts 
and  speculations. 

Of  this  take  a  most  manifest  example  from  our  fana- 
tical spirits,  who  have  learnt  from  us  to  talk  of  Christ  and 
faith.  But,  how  seldom  do  they  treat  of  this  doctrine?  yea 
rather,  how  emptily  and  coldly  do  they  speak  whenever 
they  treat  upon  this  principal  article,  which  they  for  the 
most  part  pass  by  with  a  certain  indifference,  as  consi- 
dering it  to  be  a  knowledge  of  no  moment,  and  already 
understood  by  all  to  a  nicety?  In  a  word,  they  are  full  of 
other  cogitations  ;  so  that,  if  they  should  now  and  then 
speak  of  it  rig^ly,  (which  is  a  very  rare  thing  indeed,) 


.Ul$jf  tbe9)9elv^  do  not  koow  about  wbat  they  me 
t^Mngi  Had  iiamediateily,  leaving  that,  they  go  away 
/fk^iiii  tx>  th^r  own  dreams.  Whereas,  a.  true  preachw 
^f^»ta  upon  thie  article  thd  most  frequently  of  all,  be* 
cau^,  all  things  that  pertain  either  to  the  knowledge  of 
God  or  to  our  own  salvation,  are  contained  in  it;  as 
yaii  may  see  every  where  in  the  Gospel  of  St.  John  and 
in  the  Episties  of  St.  Paul,  For  in  both  these,  those 
wordK  bold  good  ^ —  ^*  From  the  abundance  of  the  heart 
the  mouth  speaketh." 

And  noWi  I  am  no  more  in  the  worlds  but  these  are 
in  the  wofld^  and  I  come  to  thee. 

He  had  given  two  reasons  why  he  prayed  for  them. 
The  one,  where  he  says  "  thine  they  were,  and  thou 
gavest  them  me : "  that  is,  thou  hast  taken  them  out  of 
tibe  world  into  thy  kingdom,  possession,  grace,  and  pro* 
tection.  The  other  is,  because,  (saith  he,)  "  I  am  glori- 
fied in  them  : "  that  is,  they  praise  me  and  confess  me 
to  be  he,  who  has  all  things  that  are  thine.  And  now  to 
these  twQ  reasons  he  adds  a  third,  —  because,  he  is 
going  from  them,  and  about  to  leave  them  in  the  world 
behind  him  in  the  midst  of  all  perils,  persecutions,  and 
bitterness.  For  when  he  says,  "  I  am  no  more  in  the 
world,"  he  speaks  as  one  who  is  just  about  to  depart 
and  die,  and  to  be  totally  separated  from  the  world  ; 
.which  is  what  the  prophet  Isaiah  had  before  predicted 
concerning  him,  chap.  liii. ;  where  he  says,  "  He  was 
cut  off  out  of  the  land  of  the  living : "  that  is,  is  one  that 
was  taken  out  of  this  life  by  violence,  and  compelled  to 
leave  all  behind  him,  and  to  live  no  longer  here ;  but  he 
evidently  enters  upon  another  life,  which  Christ  calls 
going  to  the  Father. 

Here  arises  an  inquiry  again.  How  comes  it  to  pass 
that  Christ  says,  "  I  go  to  my  Father,"  when  he  must 
(as  God)  still  be  in  the  world  ?  For  we  believe  that  the 
prophets  said  truly,  that  God  is  in  every  place,  and  fills 
all  things;  as  it  is  continually  written  in  the  Psalms, 
and  particularly  in  Psalm  cxxxix. — that  God  is  present 
in  heaven  ^nd  in  the  deep,  or,  in  hell.     And  Paul, 


4ic^  ;^vij.  is^th,  ibM  ^^}»itk9Clias  from  e^ery  one  of 
us/'     For  i^  is  iiy  hw»  as  hp  saith,  that  we  live,  mon, 
flQd  hi^ve  CHir  bmag.    And  thecefora,  wfaeresoever  we 
$eek  bki)  ajad  i^aU^^apoa  him,  there  he  is  at  hand  and 
presents  l^iO.self  tp  our  view,  <which  he  did  frequently 
to  the  people  of  Israel ;  ai^  wh^n  he  divided  th^  Red  Sea 
and  ipjB4e  a  dry  passage  for  them  to  go  over,  but  cle- 
stroyed  tbeir  enemies  who  pursued  diem,  so  that  there 
was  pot  oqe  of  Uiem  left.    But  bow  does  he  here  say, 
that  he  is  now  no  longer  in  the  world,  and  why  does  he 
i:epre^nt  himself  as   though  he  were  going  away  to 
a  great  distance,  so  that  we  could  hold  him  no  longer? 
This  question  may  be  answered  in  two  ways.     In  one 
way,  according  to  frothy  human  wisdom, — that  he  i^ 
ascended  up  on  high,  and  sits  above  as  in  a  swallow's  nest^ 
Thus  do  men  sport  in  their  cogitations,  according  to 
that  which    they  apprehend   with   their  sight,  which 
remains  fixt  in  one  place  only  and  cannot  behold  both 
heaven  and  e^rth  together ;  and  therefore,  he  must  also, 
(according  to  that,)  be  confined  to  one  place,  and  cir- 
cumscribed to  one  circle,  so  as  not  to  be  any  where  else. 
But  I,  according  to  the  scripture,  give  this  answer, 
and  say,  that  ^'  in  the  world,'*  means  to  be  in  this  exter- 
nal and  sensible  state ;  that  is,  to  enjoy  this  life  which 
the  world  enjoys,  which  is  called  the  natural  life,  in 
which  we  eat,  drink,  sleep,  labour,  and  take  care  of  our 
fpdilies;    in  a  word,  in  which  we   make   use   of  the 
world,  and  of  all  things  necessary  unto  this  life.    On  the 
other  hand,  those  are  by  no  means  said  to  be  in  the 
world,  who  are  removed  and  separated  from  all  these 
thipgs  now  mentioned,  so  as  to  have  no  need  of  eating, 
drinking,  standing,  walking,  or  any  other  corporal  or 
natural  exercise :  for  this  is  what  Isaiah  calls  being  "  cut 
off  from  the.  land  of  the  living : "  not  that  he  departed 
altogether  out  of  this  life,  and  had  nothing  more  to  do 
with  us :  but,  that  he  had  no  farther  need  to  take  care 
of  it,  as  a  man  has  to  take  care  of  his  life.  Therefore,  he 
no  longer  lives  a  life  after  the  planner  of  this  world :  that 
is,  he  no  longer  is  in  a  corporal  life,  which  is  to  be  sup- 
ported by  meat,  drink,  and  other  corporal  necessaries. 


68 

Hence,  the  puerile  and  futile  cogitations  of  these  frothy 
praters  of  ours,  that,  to  go  out  of  the  world,  is,  to  go 
out  of  heaven  and  earth  to  some  particular  place,  are 
mere  nothings  at  all.  For  if  this  were  the  case,  then  the 
devil  alone  would  reign  in  the  world,  and  God  would 
have  no  place  at  all ;  nay,  according  to  the  opinions  of 
some,  could  not  be  even  in  the  hearts  of  the  elect. 

Therefore,  it  is  a  far  different  thing  to  be  in  the  crea- 
ture, (that  is,  to  be  in  that  place  where  the  creature  is,) 
and  to  be  in  the  world.  "  These  are  in  the  world,"  saith 
he ;  that  is,  they  live  as  men  live  in  the  world,  using  the 
works  of  the  body,  the  five  senses  and  the  four  elements, 
without  which  this  worldly  and  corporal  life  could  not 
proceed.  But  *  I  go  away ; '  that  is,  I  withdraw  and 
separate  myself  from  the  use  of  all  corporal  things, 
from  eating,  from  drinking,  from  working,  from  suffer- 
ing, and  from  an  externd  conversation  and  commu- 
nication. 

Wherefore,  be  thou  fully  persuaded,  that  Christ 
neither  walks,  nor  stands,  nor  speaks,  nor  exercises  any 
work  which  he  was  accustomed  to  do  when  upon  earth. 
Otherwise,  the  words  that  follow  could  not  be  consistent, 
"  and  I  come  to  thee,"  For  tell  me,  in  what  place  is  the 
Father?  He  is  by  no  means  in  the  *  swallow*^  nest 
above.'  And,  if  he  is  gone  to  the  Father,  then  he  must 
of  necessity  be  wherever  the  Father  is.  And  the  Father 
is  every  where,  both  in  heaven,  and  out  of  heaven,  in  the 
earth,  and  in  all  creatures  ;  so  that,  he  cannot  be  fixed 
and  stationed  to  any  certain  and  particular  place,  as 
the  stars  are  fixed  in  the  heaven.  For  we  are  to  declare 
and  'to  believe,  that  God  is  present  wherever  you  call 
upon  him,  in  the  prison,  in  the  waters,  in  the  fire,  and  in 
all  afflictions  and  necessities.  Bat  this  text  our  frothy 
praters  dare  not  hear  and  look  at,  but  pass  it  by  and 
take  some  one  part  of  it  which  they  may  wrest  to  their 
own  purpose.  But  of  this  we  have  abundantly  spoken 
elsewhere. 

Holy  Father^  keep  through  thine  otvn  name. 

In  these  words  he  explains  what  he  prays  for: 


69 

namely,  that  the  Father  would  receive  them  as  com- 
mended to  him,  while  he  should  be  gone  and  should 
leave  them  alone  in  the  world;    and  would   preserve 
them  as  he  had   preserved  them  when  present  with 
them.    And  when  he  says  "  Holy  Father!"  it  proceeds 
from  the  utmost  fervour  of  the  most  ardent  heart.    For 
what  he  has  respect  to  in  this  one  expression,  is  this, 
(and   he  opposes  it  to  all   profane   life,  doctrine,  and 
actions,  to  which  the  world  is  given,  under  the  pretext 
and  splendid  show  of  the  greatest  sanctity ;) — it  is  as 
though   he  had   said,  O  dearest  Father,    such  sects, 
errors,  and  seductions  do  I  see,  such  Nero  and  Phalaris- 
like  tyrants  do  I  behold,  who  are  fully  set  on  blood,  and 
will  endeavour  under  the  cover  of  thy  name  to  raise  up 
every  iniquity  and  evil  against  the  true  holiness,  that  I 
may  say,  that  there  is  no  one  holy  any  where,  what 
splendour  and  ornament  soever  may  be  appended  to  him, 
but  thy  holy  name  and  the  Word  which  I  preach.    To 
the  same  effect  also  does  Psalm  xxii.  speak,  "  But  thou 
art  holy,  O  thou  that  inhabitest  the  praises  of  Israel.*' 
As  though  he  had  said,  There  is  no  one  who  does  not 
wish  to  be  holy,  and  to  have  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  to 
teach  and  rule  the  world ;  but  they  all,  under  the  pretext 
of  thy  holy  name,  and  a  show  of  sanctity,  deceive  and 
seduce  the  world.    And  as  thou  only  art  holy,  (saith 
he,)  and  as  the  dragon  of  abomination  and  of  diabolical 
seduction  is  so  great,  "  Keep  thou  them  in  thine  own 
name.'' — But  why  this?  And  why  in  his  own  name? 
(For,  all  liars  and  seducers,  as  I  have  before  observed, 
boast  of  and  assert  the  name  of  God,  and  to  this  name 
all  things  in  the  world  are  depended ;  as  it  is  commonly 
H  said,  *  Every  evil  begins  with  the  name  of  God,'  nor  does 
^:^  any  error  arise  that  does  not  make  use  of  this  name, 
^1   and  effect   its   purposes  under  the  cover  of  it.) — I 
^    answer,  these  are  not  in  the  name  of  God,  nor  will  they 
^    be  preserved  by  that  name.    And  therefore,  he  reminds 
the  Father  of  his  holiness,  against  which  so  much  pro- 
faneness  is  every  where  raised  up,  that  he  would  separate 
his  flock  from  these^  and  would  preserve  them  that  they 
^ '   might  remain  under  that  one  name. 


70 

All  thte  rti^  m  our  language  ht  expr^sstd  tbad».^ 
*  O  dear  Father^  keep  them  from  dll  false  doctrine,  th^ 
they  might  persevere  in  thy  holy  Word  atod  in  the  pure 
Oospeiy  whereby  they  are  sanctified,  and  might  not  d^M 
part  from  it,  rior  fell  into  aA  outsidie  sanctity.  For  unleSi 
thou  preserve  theix^^  all  is  over  with  their  salvation.* 
For  the  iniquity  oi  the  devil  is  great,  and  the  specious 
show  and  ofience  of  falf^  doctrine  is  greater  than  can  be  ' 
overcome  by  the  powers  of  our  reason.  And  as  Ct^i^ 
himself  testifies,  the  elect  themselves  scarcely  escape 
being  seduced  by  it  and  precipitated'  to  destruction. 

My  lihts  prayet,  we-  miserable  mea  are  also  to  be 
supported;  for  othi^rwise,  no  one  cotild  stand  again^ 
such  crafty ,^  insidious,  aad  captious  sects  and  spirits; 
il^hichy  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  unto  this  day, 
have  continually  risen  up^  have  drawn  so  greiat  a  multi^ 
tude  and  so  many  powerful  persons  over  to  their  opi- 
nions, and  have  joined  to  themselves,  (dreadful  to. 
relate !)  in  addition  to  immy  poor  simple  creatures  who 
would  willingly  be  brought  into  the  right  way  and  live  tf 
hdy  life,  adl  the  most  learned  and  the  most  ingenious 
who  might  have  been  a  help  to  all  others.  But  how 
horrible  is  it  to  behold  and  to  think  of^  when*  xmi 
reflects  upon  the  unspeakable  multitude^  who  depai^eS' 
ftom  the  Gospel  and  lost  the  Word,  immediately  khet 
the  time  of  the  Apostle  Paul  and  the  rest  of  the  apostles, 
when  the  Word'  flourished  every  where,  and  prevailed 
throughout  A«ia  and  Greece;  where,  now,  not  oiie 
letter  of  the  Gospel  is  tb  be  found,  and  where  the  whole 
of  the  sacred  doctrine  is  destroyed  by  that  cruel  aiid 
terrible  blasphemy  of  the  Turks  and  Mahometans.  Tl^ 
same  also  took  place  under  the  Pope;  and  we  see  the 
same  state  of  things  begun  in  Germany,  where  so  many 
new  sects,  so  many  erroi*s«  and  seductions,  are  daily 
rising  up.  Nay,  even  among  us  how  very  few  are  ther^- 
who  have  and;  hold  the  pure  -knowledge  of  the  Gospel  ? 
Wherefore,  it  is  most  necessary,  that,  even  now;  if  we 
could,  wo  should  pray  every  moment  with  Christ.  *0 
Holy  Father,  we  entreat  thee  to  grant  us,  and  enable  us, 
to  persevere  firmly  in  thy  Word," and  thai  the  de^il' may' 


71 

not  oppress  and  overwhelm  q$  itith  that  singular  and 
angel-like  show  of  sanctity/ 

Behold,  this  is  to  abide  and  to  be  kept  in  his  nome^ 
— to  hold  the  Word  purely  and  sincerely  in  our  beaorts* 
For  the  name  or  the  praise  and  honour  of  God  is^.  his 
being  preached  and  known,  as  giving  us  the  pardon  of 
our  sins,  and  saving  us  freely,  through  Christ  only.  He 
that  remains  in  this  doctrine  or  faith,  he  is  of  God.  He 
may  lay  claim  to  God  and  the  Father,  and  from  him 
take  his  denomination — as  being  holy  as  he  i&  holy.  ¥ot 
as  God  is,  so  is  his  name  and  his  Word.  And  as  his 
tiame  is  holy,  so  also  are  we  by  it  sanctified, — but  not 
by  our  life  or  works.  And  hence,  he  who  loses  or  disre* 
gards  the  Word,  is  no  longer  a  saint,  how  innocently 
soever  his  life  may  be  [>assed,  and  how  great  a  sbow  of 
sanctity  soever  it  may  have. 

Whom  thou  hast  given  me. 

That  is,  as  we  have  before  observed,.  *  who  have  my 
Word  : '  which  he  continually  repeats  and  cannot  forget ; 
and  that,  to  the  unspeakable^  consolation  of  all  who 
willingly  and  desirously  ^hear  his  Word  and  receive  it : 
so  that,  he  only  is  to  be  our  Master,  our  Teacher,  and  out 
Head,  and  yet  we  are  to  remain  his  disciples,  that  we 
may  know  that  it  is  God  himself  who  has  thus  led  us  to 
hear  Christ,  and  that  our  salvation  is  not  put  into  ouf 
own  hands,  but  into  the  hand  of  God ;  out  of  whichj  no 
one  can  pluck  it.  Therefore,  what  he  would  say  is  this. 
— Since  thou  hast  given  them  unto  me  for  this  end, 
that  they  might  become  my  disciples,  and  be  called  to 
true  holiness ;  grant,  O  Father,  that  they  may  be  pre- 
served therein,  and  be  defiled  by  no  one,  nor  be  led 
aside  and  corrupted  by  any  error. 

That  they  may  be  one  as  we  are. 

It  is  terrible  to  relate  how  cruelly  and  basely  sects 
have  "handled  and  perverted  this  text:  the  whole  of 
which  is  intended  to  shew,  how  wisely  and  clearly 
Christ  saw,  that  aH  those  who  should  begin  to  hear  his 
Word,,  would  come  into  all  straits  and  perils,  which 


72 

might  tend  to  pluck  them  away  from  the  Word.  For 
wherever  the  devil  perceives  disciples  coming  to  Christ, 
he  immediately,  in  unspeakable  ways,  rages  and  foams, 
and  lets  loose  the  rei^s  to  all  his  wrath,  and  resists  and 
opposes  them  with  all  his  powers;  nor  does  he  ever 
cease  from  opposing  them,  until  he  has  drawn  them 
from  Christ  over  to  his  own  side.  And  therefore,  Christ 
asks,  that  the  Father  would  defend  them  and  keep  them 
through  his  own  name,  that  they  be  not  scattered  and 
torn  one  from  the  other,  but  that  they  might  undividedly 
remain  "  one." 

Moreover  these  words,  "  that  they  may  be  one," 
&c.  is  by  the  Arians  who  deny  the  divinity  of  Christ 
perverted  and  corrupted  to  establish  their  lies.  For  from 
Christ's  saying  that  Christians  ought  to  be  "  one'*  even  as 
he  and  the  Father  are  "  one,"  they  will  only  coUect,  that 
he  has  not  the  same  nature  and  essence  as  the  Father: 
saying,  that  we  cannot  have  the  same  nature  and  essence 
with  each  other,  and  that  every  one  of  us  has  his  nature, 
that  is,  body  and  e;oul  peculiar  to  himself:  and  that, 
therefore,  by  these  words  "  that  they  may  be  one,"  is 
signified,  *  That  we  may  agree  together  in  the  same 
mind  and  sentiments.'  Just  as  we  are  accustomed  to  F 
speak  of  two  persons  who  are  of  the  same  feelings,  wiD, 
and  mind.  Thus,  these  most  memorable  words,  are 
made  to  serve  the  sect  and  the  lies  of  the  Arians ; 
against,  faith,  and  contrary  to  the  sentiments  of  the 
Evangelist  John,  who  here  so  firmly  asserts  this  article. 

But  Christ  does  not  say'  *  That  they  may  be  of  the  ^ 
same  will  and  understanding,'  as  they  falsely  imagine. 
Although  that  also  is  true,  that  all  Christians  are  of  the 
same  faith,  love,  understanding,  and  feelings,  as  having 
the  same  Christ,  spirit,  and  faUh ;  though  there  is  a  dif-  ^ 
ference  as  to  the  external  office  and  work  of  each.  But 
in  this  place  he  does  not  speak  of  the  harmony  of  minds 
and  wills ;  but  orders  his  words  thus,  "  That  they  may 
be  one;"  that  they  may  be  one  thing;  and  so  one 
thing,  as  I  and  the  Father  are  one.  So  that  the  words 
are  to  be  understood  as  speaking  of  Essence ;  and  they 
have  a  much  wider  signification  than  as  referring  to  one 


: 


I 

I 


' 


73 

mind  and  sentiment  only.  Moreover,  what  the  mean- 
ing of  "  one  *'  is,  or,  one  thing,  we  are  not  to  see,  or  to 
feel  out  with  our  hands,  but  to  believe.  But  it  is  nothing 
more  or  less  than  what  Paul  describes  I  Cor.  x.  and  xii. 
and  in  other  places  where .  he  says  that  Christians  ar6 
^^  one  body/'  And  as  a  body  is,  and  is  called,  one 
thing,  so  ail  Christians  are  said  to  be  one  body ;  not  on 
account,  indeed,  of  their  being  of  the  same  will  £knd 
mind,  but  much  rather  on  account  of  their  being  of  the 
same  essence. 

And  ag^n,  thete  is  a  much  greater  union  between 
the  members  of  the  body,  than  between  thy  thoughts 
and  those  of  another  person.  For  his  thoughts  are  in 
his  own  body,  and  thy  thought  in  thine ;  nor  can  I  say 
that  my  thoughts  and  thine  are  the  same  thing,  in  the 
same  way  as  sdl  the  members  are  equally  one  thing,  that 
is,  one  body ;  for,  when  any  one  member  is  away  from 
the  body,  it  is  no  longer  one  with  the  body,  nor  of  the 
same  essence  with  it,  but  the  body  is  considered  a  body 
of  itself.    But  as  long  as  all  the  members  remain  to- 

S^ther^  they  are  said  to  be  one  body,  nor  is  there  any 
ifferenqe  or  distinction  of  essence  between  them.  So, 
if  the  foot  be  cut  off  from  the  body,  it  is  no  longer  one 
with  the  body,  but  a  part  that  is  cast  away :  but  if  it 
remain  in  the  body,  then  I  am  compelled  to  say  that  it 
is  one  body,  &c. 

In  the  same  way  is  Christ  here  to  be  understood — 
that  Christians  ought  to  be  so  intimately  united,  as  to  be 
altogether  one  jthing,  and  to  remain  one  undivided  body, 
even  as  he  and  the  Father  are  "  one."  Between  these 
there  is  not  only  the  same  mind  and  will,  but  their 
whole  indivisible  essence  is  the  same.  For  if  Christ  be 
separated  from  the^  Father,  one  God  can  no  longer 
exist,  but  a  divided,  separate,  and  distinct  essence. 
Though  the  union  of  the  divine  nature,  is  much  greater 
than  mat  of  the  members  in  one  body  :  and  it  is  impos- 
rible  for  us  to  comprehend  it. 

In  the  same  manner  also  would  Christ  here  speak 
— My.  Christians  ought  to  be  one  flock ;  that  is,  one 
whole  undivided  body.    Though  there  is  here  an  union 

VOL.   II.  G 


74 

different  from  that  of  natdre ;  namely,  a  spkituftl 
union.  Yet  it  is  called  being  "  one,"  because,  therem 
the  one  cannot  exist  without  the  other,  and  if  one  part 
be  taken  away,  it  can  be  no  longer  called  one  things  or 
"one."  , 

It  is  thus  tlmt  the  term  "  one"  is  to  betodierdteOd; 
and  not  as  the  Arians  have  basely  perverted  it,  as 
though  it  signified  nothing  more  than  concord  and  simi- 
iiarity :  in  the  Same  manner  as  when  I  see  two  men 
alike  in  person  I  say  their  appearance  is  one  and  the 
same;  or,  as  I  would  say  of  two  coats,  the  doth  is 
one  and  the  same.     For  here  it  is  most  plainly  ex* 
pressed    "  ♦that  they  may  be    one,"   one    thing :   in 
which  way  neither  the  Gfreek  nor  the  Latin  language 
ever  speaks  when  expressing  <i  sameness  or  conowd. 
But  in  the  modem  mode  of  expression  this  term  om  is 
not  so  clear,  but  has  an  ambiguous  signification ;  and 
therefore,  we  Germans  are  obliged  to  interpret  U  as  one 
thing,   or .  one  body.- — All   these  observations  I  have 
made,  that  we  may  not  suffer  this  text  to  be  perverted 
or  weakened  by  such  figments  of  reason  and  crude  phi- 
losophy ;  for  it  contains  the    greatest   and    strongest 
consolation  for  Christians  who   believe  in  Christ,  and 
trust  in  his  Word  with  a  steady  confidence:   namely, 
.  that  we  are  all  members  of  one  body,  and  one  flesh  and 
blood.    In  which  state,  there  is  this  prerogative,  that 
whatever  falls  on  one  of  the  members^  falls  on  the 
whole  body ;  which  does  not  take  place  in  that  sameness 
.pr.  concord.    For  although  many  may  be  of  the  same 
mind  and  will,  yet,  the  circumstances  of  the  one,  do  not 
so  much  interest  the  other,  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
members  of  the  body  mutually  feel  for  each  other. 

From  this  union  it  is  called  Christianity,  and  a 
communion  of  the  saints,  (not  a  mere  sameness,)  in 
which  all  the  saints  or  Christians  are  one  multitude,  and 
"  body,"  and  "  lump."  Tlie  Christian  therefore  has  titfs 
confidence, — ^he  is  certain,  that,  when  tte  devil  opposes 
and  attacks  him,  it  is  not  he  alone  that  is  attacked,  a 
finger  only,  but  the  whole  body  at  the  same  time ;  that 
is,  all  Christians  throughout  the  whole  world,  aiid  86 


75 

God  himsdf  aiid  Christ  Jnst'as  it  is  in  a  whole  body ; 
in  wh]di^\if  the  least  toe  of  the  foot  be  touched  Uie 
whole  body  immediateW  writhes,  nor  is  there  any  mem- 
ber whibfa  does  not  sdfier  with  that  which  is  hurt*  And 
all  this?  is  formed  into  that  union  that  no  part  might 
live  to  itself  alone,  nor  have  that  life,  care,  and  sensibi- 
lity, whidb  are  common  to  all  the  rest,  that  is,  to  the 
wholelxKly, 

Hence,  wherever  the  least  or  weakest  member  of 
Christians  suffers,  the  whole  body  immediately  feels  it 
and  is^  put  in  commotion,  all  the  other  members  running 
tip  to  i^  inquiring  concerning  it,  and  crying  after  it. 
And*  tl^  cry  of  these  Christ  our  head  immediately  hears  ' 
and  &eb : '  who,  althoudi  he  may  for  a  little  wtule  dis- 
semble Ins  grief  and  refrain,  yet,  when  once  he  has  con- 
tracted and  knit  his  brow,  he  certainly  will  not  trifle :  for 
be  speaks  thus  by  the  Prophet  Zlechariah,  chap.  fi. 
^'  He  that  toncheth  you  toucheth  the  apple  of  mine 
eye^**  Behold  the  greatness  of  the  promise,  for  the  sift'- 
gular  consolation  and  confidence  of  Christians  againtt 
their  adversaries  t  Whereby  they  may  know,  that  Chrisft 
is  so  affected  with  our  afflictions,  that  he  declares,  that 
when  we  are  hart  the  pupil  of  his  eye  is  touched ;  and 
that  he  will  by  nb  means  pass  by  those  injuries;  even 
as  no  one  can  bear'  that  the  pupil  of  his  should  be 
touched  much  by  another.  Therefore,  whenever  the 
devil '  attacks  any  one  Christian,  he  falls  upon  himself, 
and  is  his  own  tormentor. 

Of  this  the  history  of  St.  Paul  furnishes  us  with  a 
most  beantiful  example. — When  he  was  persecuting  the 
Christians,  and  had  consented  to  the  death  of  Stephen, 
he  thought  thlt  he  had  plucked  off  his  right  hand.  But^ 
what  does  Christ  say  from  heaven  concerning  these 
things  ?  He  does  not  say,  ^  Saul,  why  hast  thou  hurt 
my  right  hand/  or,  *  why  dost  thou  persecute  my  poor 
nliseraUe  flock.'  But  he  says,  *^  Saul,  Saul,  why  perse^ 
ctitest  thou  me  ?  It  is  hard  for  thee  to  kick  against  the 
pricks,"  &€.  Here  he  speaks  as  though  he  liad  perse^ 
ctited  his  person.  And  why?  Because,  no  member  of  the 
body  can  be  touched  without  the  head  feeling  ip :  nay, 

g2 


76 

without  its  feeling  it  first :  for  it  is  from  the  head  that  nil 
the  force  of  the  pain  which  the  1)ody  feels  proceeds  and 
flows. 

And  this  is  the  greatest  and  highest  consolation  to 
Christians  under  all  their  afflictions-^liiat,  when  they 
are  assaulted  by  the  devil  or  tormented  and  afflicted  by 
the  World,  it  is  not  they  alorfe  that  suffer,  but  all  the 
Christians  in  the  world,  yea,  all  the  angels  in  heaven;  and 
•so,  Christ  himself  and  tneir  heavenly  Father,  partake  of, 
and  feel  and  endure  the  pain  together  with  them ;  arid  no 
evil  can  happen  unto  them,  which  does  not  happen  unto 
.them  also.  And  he  who  knows  and  believes  these 
thmgs,  knows  how  to  endure  and  to  overcome  every 
■kind  of  calamity ;  as,  on  the  other  hand,  nothing  makes 
-afflictions  more  intolerable  and  heavy,  than  the  ignorance 
of  these  things.  For  the  mind  then  seems  to  itself  to  en- 
xlure  things  intolerable,  when  it  thinks  it  endures  them 
alone,  and  can  se^  no  one  as  an  example  or  a  partaker 
of  any  suffering.  And  this  is  the  way  in  which  all 
Christian  sufferings  appear  to  the  eyes  of  our  flesh. 
Wherefore,  faith  ought  to  stay  upon  this  Word,  con- 
trary to  our '  own  feelings  and  -  the  clamours  of  the 
world :  who,  if  they  catch  any  Christian  in  their  hands, 
imagine  that  he  is  so  oppressed  by  them,  that  no  one 
cap  help  him  either  in  counsel  or  in  deed  ;  even  as  they 
tainted  Christ  himself  when  hanging  oh  the  cross. 

Behold,  this  is'  that  union  of  Christians  to  which 
Christ  alludes  in  these  words.  But  unto  this  we  can 
arrive  by  no  other  means,  than,  (as  has  been  before 
shewn,)  by  God's  keeping  us  through  his  own  name  ; 
that  is,  by  our  abiding  in  the  Word  which  we  have  re- 
ceived of  Christ.  And,  by  the  bond  of  this  Word,  we 
are  constrained  to  remain  all  under  one  head,  and  to 
xrleave  unto  him  only,  and  to  seek  no  other  holiness, 
nor  any  thing  whereby  to  please  God,  but  in  him.  And, 
&oai\j,  by  .Ae  Word  we  are  so  intiniately  united  to 
Christ,  that  whatever  tie  has  is  ours,  nor  can  we  look 
upon  him  otherwise  than  as  our  own  body.  .  And  so,  on 
the  other  hand,  he  considers  whatever  happens  unto  us 
as^  faaf^ning  unto  him;  and  he  holds  that  v watchful 


n 

care  over  us,  Aat  neither  the  world  nor  the  devil  can-* 
overcome  us,  nor  injure  us  by  any  evil  however  greal. 
Nor  is  there  any  force  or  power  in  the  world,  which 
can  at  all  prevail  against  this  union. 

Of  this,  however,  we  are  not  to  be  ignorant — that  aH 
the  devils  ply  their  whole  powers  and  devices  to  de- 
stroy this  union  in  us,  and,  by  every  wickedness  and 
craft,  to  tear  us  away  from  the  Woixi;  for  when  they' 
have  gained  that  point,  they  have  gotten  the  victory/ 
Because,  apart  from  the  Word,  no  union  is  to  be 
formed,  but  seisms,  contentions,  and  divisions ;  wMcH 
the  devil  by  his  traps  and  snares,  that  is,  by  humfen' 
doctrines,  so  confounds  together,  that  each  one  seeks- 
out,  in  his  own  way,  a  peculiar  lioliness  to  himself,  &c. 

While  I  was  with  them  in  the  world  I  kept  them  in 
thy  name. 

That  is,  as  long  as  they  heard  and  saw  me,  and 
conversed  corporally  with  me,  I  kept  them  in  thy  Word, 
by  teaching,  by  admonishing,  by  urging,  by  comforting, 
by  exhorting,  and  by  instructing  them  in  every  way, 
that  they  might  not  by  any  means  be  drawn  aside  fromt 
the  knowledge  of  the  Word.  And  now,  as  I  am  nd 
more  in  the  world,  that  is,  as  they  will  hereafter  have 
no  more  conversation  with  me  corporally,  and  will  nei-; 
ther  see  nor  hear  me.  more,  it  remains,  that  thou  take 
the  care  of  preserving  them  upon  thyself,  that  they 
may  persevere  in  the  Word  as  they  have  begun;  for 
they  have  thy  Word  and  are  thine;  as  now  again - 
follows, 

Those  that  thou  gavest  me  I  have  keptj  and  none  of 
them  is  lost  but  the  son  of  perdition;  that  the  scripture 
might  be  fulfilled. 

I  have  kept  them,  that  they  might  not  be  shaken  or 
deceived  by  any  false  doctrine  or  holiness ;  and  with 
such  watchfulness  have  I  kept  ,them,  that  not  one  of 
them  has  perished  but  Judas,  that  son  of  perdition. 
And  wherefore?  Because,  he  never  clave  to  me  from 
hi5  heart,  nor  embraced  mv  word  seriously :  but  followed' 


78 

me  only  that  he  might,  under  the  cover  of  my  name, 
and  by  beins  with  me,  heap  to  himself  riches ;  an4 
with  such  a  deceptive  and  fair  show  of  uprightness  did 
he  manage  the  whole,  that  no  one  of  the  disciples  per-, 
ceived  his  iniquity.  But  such  a  child  of  the  devU  as 
this,  was  to  be  borne  with  in  the  presence  and  intimate 
society  of  Christ,  that  the  scripture  (as  he  saith)  might 
be  fulfilled  :  by  which  it  had  been  before  predicted,  that 
it  should  be,  that  there  should  always  be  such  Judases 
to  be  borne  with  by  his  disciples :  even  as  he  himself 
also  cites  these  words  from  the  41st  Psalm,  "  He  that 
eateth  bread  with  me,  hath  lifted  up  his  hed  against 
me,"  John  xiii.  18. 

Judas,  th^efore,  is  a  type  of  all  those  who  by  the 
Gospel  seek  their  own  gain ;  of  which  kind,  there  are 
not  a  few  at  this  day ;  who  boast  themselves  indeed  in 
the  Gospel,  and  yet,  seek  nothing  but  the  glory  of  their 
Qwn  name,  ease,  and  speculation;  thinking,  that  the 
(jrospel  is  a  matter  of  business  or  trade,  whereby  honours 
and  riches  may  be  obtained ;  as  Paul  testifies  of  them 
1  Tim.  vi.,  and  as  the  Pope  has  hitherto,  under  the 
name  of  Christ,  reduced  u^der  his  power  ^\\  the  king- 
doms and  empires  of  the  worldt  and  has  gathered  all 
the  riches  and  wealth  of  them  unto  himself. 

Of  such,  therefore,  Christ  takes  an  eternal  fiarewejl, 
denying  that  they  are  his  disciples.  And  therefore, 
(saith  he,)  I  cannot  preserve  thasii^.  but  must  permit 
them  /to  abuse  the  sanction  of  my  naine  in  winch  they 
thus  boast  themselves,  although  they,  have  no  desire  to 
be  Christians,  but  become  at  last  my  most  violent  and 
bitter  enemies,  and  do  every  injury  to  Christianity  that 
lies  in  their  power. 

Here  again,  to  those  who  have  a  willing  mind  to 
cleave  unto  the  Gospel,  and  for  its  sake,  hesitate  not 
to  jeopard  their  lives  a^d  aU  their  fortu^<^,  thi^  conso- 
lation is  propoa0d'r-4hat  Christ  will  not  forsake  them, 
but  will  be!  preserved .  by  .this  prayer^  even; as  he  preser- 
ved his  idisciples.  But  the  rest  are  to  seefk  nothing  here, 
nor  are  they  to  arrogate  to  themselves  feuch  jaccmsola- 
tfon.  .  For  it  caottot.fey  any  m^^m.  be».  tfeat  ,^jt  W?. 


79 

should  have  the  quiet  enjoytnent,  (ieis  they  say,)  of  alt 
there  is  in  this  world  with  ease  and  tranquility,  and  at 
the  same  time  aeriously  embrace  the  word  of  Christ. 
For  it  is  already  decreed,  that  "  no  bne  can  serve  two 
masters,"  and  that  ^^  God  and  Mammon  cannot  exist 
together." 

And  now  coine  I  to  thee:  and  these  things  I  speak  m 
the  fvorldj  that  they  might  have  my  joy  fuljdled  in 
themselves. 

Behold,  how  common,  plain,  and  simple  these  words 
are ;  and  yet,  no  one  understands  them,  but  they  are" 
negligently  passed  over,  as  though  nothing  could  be 
more  simple  to  be  understood ;  and  therefore,  no  one 
searches  dUigently  into  them. — ^What  going  out  of  the 
world  and  going  unto  the  Father  means,  we  have 
already  heard.  But  he  repeats  these  things,  that  he 
might  the  more  fully  comfort  his  disciples ;  and  that 
they  might  know  where,  and  in  whom,  their  trust  and 
defence  in  this  world  are  to  be  placed,  and  are  to  rest. 
For  since  before  this,  as  long  as  he  lived  with  them  in 
&miliar  intercourse,  he  preserved  them ;  and  as  he  is 
now  going  to  depart  out  of  this  visible  and  corporal 
life,  unto  another  that  is  invisible ;  and  moreover  as  his 
disciples  are  now  to  be  left,  who  will  not  themselves 
indeed  remain  together,  but  will  be  dispersed  through- 
out the  whole  worid ;  they  have  the  greatest  need  of  the 
most  powerful  protection  and  defence,  which  they  might 
trust  in,  so  as  to  be  enabled  to  stand  against  all  attacks 
from,  and  perils  in,  the  world.  Here,  therefore,  he 
makes  known  to  them  a  more  certain  and  sure  place, 
where  he  will  the  more  safely  and  eflfectually  defend 
them ;  namely,  with  the  Father,  to  whom  he  is  going, 
and  where  his  sh^l  receive  all  things  under  his  power, 
and  shall  be  every  where  present  with  them,  though  he, 
as  to  his  corporal  presence,  depart  from  them. 

The  meaning  tfierefore  of  tfiis  whole  passage,  is  this : 
After  I  had  called  them  together  and  implanted  in  them 
my  Word,  I  preserved  them  so  long  by  my  corporal 
preiBence^  until  the  word  had  taken  root,  and  clave  to 


80' 

and  abode  in  them ;  so  that,  it  mi^t  by  them  be  spread 
abroad  mor^  widely  and  be  propagated  throughout  the 
whole  world.  And  1  was  for  this  cause  with  them/ 
that  I  might  lay  the  foundation  of  this,  and  might  ob- 
tain for  them  by  myself  all  those  things  which  they, 
together  with  all  Christians,  should  have  need  of,  and 
should  want  to  receive.  But  now,  the  time  is  at  hand 
that  I  must  come  again  unto  thee  and  receive  my  king- 
dom, and  make  that  known,  and  ^y  them  extend  it 
throughout  the  world,  by  the  Word  being  spread  abroad 
among  all  nations.  Therefore,  I  commend  these  unto 
unto  thee,  and  I  come  unto  thee  for  this  cause,  that 
thou  mightest  strengthen  and  guard  them  by  thy  Holy 
Spirit  and  by  thy  divine  power. 

"  And  these  things  (saithhe)  speak  I  in  the  world  ;'^= 
that  is,  as  a  testimony  of  my  commendation  of, them  to 
thee,  I  leave  them  these  words ;  that  they  might  hear 
how  I  pray  for  them,  that  they  may  be  under  thy  sure 
care  and  protection ;  ,so  that  by  relying  thereon  they 
might  most  surely  believe,  that  they  will  never  be  for- 
saken of  thee,  even  though  the  whole  world,  with  all 
the  devils  together,  should  rage  against  them  with  alt 
flieir  fury. 

In  this  place  it  is  again  clearly  proved  and  forcibly 
established,  how  much  importance,  and  how  much  utility, 
the  external  preaching  of  the  Word  carries  with  it;  for 
he  has  not  decreed  to  defend  and  keep  his  disciples  but 
by  the  external  medium,  (though  he  is  able  to  do  it  and 
has  all  things  in  his  hand,)  but  he  wills  this  Word  to  be 
used  to  that  end,  that  they  might  know  in  whom  they 
are  to  trust,  and  what  consolation  they  are  to  enjoy.' 
For  he  does  not  in  their  distress  bring  them  that  help 
which  they  can  see  and  feel  openly,  but  which  they  are 
to  receive  by  faith,  while  every  thing  in  the  world  ap- 
pears to  the  contrary,  and  as  though  he  refused  to  help 
and  defend  them,  and  would  permit  them  to  perish  under- 
their  oppression. 

He  saith,  therefore,  "  Now  come  I  unto  thee,"  that 
thou  mayest  preserve  and  defend  them  ;  but  yet,  I  rnusK 
tell  them  these  thipg^  while  I  am  yet  in  the  world  with; 


8V 

• 

bem  ;  that  I  may  speak  these  things  with  a  living  voice 
nd  vocal  word,  as  one  person  would  speak  to  another. 
Lnd  why  ?  "  That  they  (saith  he)  might  have  my  joy 
ilfiUed  in  themselves :"  that  is,  that  they  might  have 
insolation  through  the  Word  which  they  have  heard 
ith  their  ears,  and  have  held  fast  in  their  minds ;  and 
lat  bein^  thereby  gladdened,  they  might  say,  Behold 
lis  hath  Christ  my  Liord  said,  and  thus  faithfully  hath 
e  prayed  for  me  from  his  heart ;  this  have  I  heard  from 
is  moulh,  or  from  the  mouth  of  those'  who  heard-  it 
roin  his  mouth,  and  who  were  sent  to  proclaim  these 
hings  unto  me, — that  he  will  not  forsake  me  altfabugh 
le  be  not  present  with  me  corporally,  and  though  he '  • 
eave  me  here  alone,  but  will  defend  and  preserve  me 
ly  the  omnipotent  and  eternal  power  and  might  of  his 
Father. 

Behold !  this  is  what  he  calls  his  joy  being  fulfilled ; 
that  is,  the  having  solid  and  perfect  joy.  And  it  is  rightly 
called  his  joy,  or  joy  given  by  him,  for  it  is  not  any 
eatward  or  worldly  joy,  but  Altogether  an  internal  and 
secret  joy.  For  in  me  world,  Christians  have  only 
afflictions,  calamities,  and  persecutions;  from  being 
brought  into  the  greatest  straits,  or  from  being  torment- 
ed by  tyrants  and  sects,  or  by  the  devil,  and  from  being 
compelled,  in  the  midst  of  their  greatest  calamities,  to 
endure  the  insults  and  tauntings  of  the  worst  of  men ; 
as  Christ  predicted  of  them  in  the  l6th  chap,  of  Joh«, 
"  Ye  shall  weep  and  lament,  but  the  world  shall  re- 
joice." Nevertheless,  he  saith,  that  in  the  midst  of 
such  lamentation  and  straits,  they  shall  have  perfect 
joy ;  '  as  it  follows  in  the  same  chapter — "  But  your 
heart  shall  rejoice,  and  your  joy  no  man  taketh  from 
you/' 

And  this  it  concerns,  and  to  this  it  is  of  the  great- 
est importance,  that  we  cleave  unto  the  word  with  our 
whole  heart;  placing  our  confidence  here^— that  he 
has  so  faithfrdly  promised  us,  that  he  and  the  Father 
will  be  with  us,  that  no  peril  or  loss  shall  hurt  us, 
and  that  no  violence  or  power  of  the  devil^  together 
with  the  whole  world,  shall  overcome  us  or  pluck  us 


from  him.  Plence,  we  increase  in  joy  and  consolation;  r 
and  are  continually  rendered  more  happy  and  animated^*  ^'^ 
not  permitting  ourselves  to  be  disturbed  or  damped  by 
any  tcwment  or  obstacle ;  seeing  that,  for  Christ's  sake^ 
all  the  bitterness  we  are  to  bear  becomes  more  and  moie  ' 
sweet. 

Out  of  this,  no  Christian  can  have  any  sincere  or  solid 
joy.  For,  although  thou  shouldest  enjoy  all  die  cdo^' 
centrated  pleasures  of  the  world  at  the  same  moment, 
yet,  all  these  together  would  not  afford  thee  a  power  '  f 
to  stand  against  the  least  temptation  or  adversity.  > 
For  the  joy  of  the  world  consists  only  in  temporal  aid  ' 
uncertain  things,  such  as  honours,  pleasures,  and  other  1 
things  of  the  same  kind ;  nor  does  it  endure  longer  than  k 
those  things  abide ;  for  it  at  once  falls  away  and  va-  i 
nishes  as  soon  as  it  meets  with  any  adverse  event ;  aad  }i 
therefore  it  can  endure  no  storm  or  evil.  Whereas, 
this  joy  is  of  that  nature,  that  it  remains  for  ever,  (even 
as  its  foundation  also  is  eternal,)  and  stands  and  grows  fi 
m  the  midst  of  tribulations  and  afflictions ;  and  those  i 
who  enjoy  and  can  boast  of  this,  may  reject  and  de^  £ 
spise  with  a  gladdened  and  happy  mind  all  the  joys  of 
the  whole  world.  jfc 

/  have  given  them  thy  Word. 

In  these  Words  he  again  intimates  what  goodness 

they  shall  experience  in  the  world ;  that  they  might  see,'  t 

how  much  they  will  stand  in  need  of  this  consolation  ccm-  \ 

tained  in  the  Word,  and  of  that  joy  which  is  given  unto  »i 

tiiem  of  Christ.     And  he  more  fully  explains  that  which  \ 

he  had  explained  before — that  the  Word  which  he  has  ^ 

dven  them  is  the  Word  of  the  Father,  calling  it  "  tkf  ji 
Word:"  and   for  this  end — ^that  they  might  have  ne 
farther  occasion  to  desire  or  seek  any  other  consolation; 

and  that  they  mi^t  give  all  diligence  to  magnify  that  ji 

Word,  love  it,  and  prize  it  as  the  greatest  treasure  they  ji 

have  upon  earth,  and  as  given  unto  them  as  a  joy  and  < 

consolation  against  all  adversities.     There  is,  (saith  he,)  i 

no  other  tieasure  that  I  can  give  them  but  the  Wcwd  \ 
whijch  iTeeeivedilhmtitiiiee^i.aiid  ^hich  1 1»im^do«i 


e 


1 


83 

om  heaven  with  me.  This,  I  have  ^ven  unto  them : 
ad  I  have  with  such,  diligence  taught  it  them ;  because 
wish  them  to  feel  in  their  hearts  that  they  have  my 
>lidy  perfect}  and  eternal  joy  within  them ;  and  to  be 
labled  to  say  after  ipy  death,  *  Here  I  have  the  Word 
f  Christ  my  Lord,  yea,  the  Word  of  his  omnipotent 
'^ther ;  by  keeping  of  which,  I  am  sure  that  no  power 
pon  eartn,  nor  any  gat^s  of  hell  can  hurt  me  ;•  for  he 
old^  me  in  his  omnipotent  hand,  and  defends  me  with 
is  paternal'  protection,  away  from  which,  the  violence 
f .  no  one  can  ever  pluck  me ;  for  he  accompanies  his 
Yard  'With  his  love,  and  has  deterouned  to  hold  it  fast 
[&  all  things ;  and  he  will  by  the  same  power  defend 
Xkd  protect  all  those  who  desire  and  love  it,' — And  this 
ft  wholly  necessary,  for  we  poor  creatures  greatly  need 
his  prot;ection ;  as  now  follows. 

And  the  world  hath  hated  them. 

Here  our  character,  and  the  true  mark  of  Christians 
by  which  they  are  signalized  in  the  world,  are  descrip- 
tively set  forth. — Dost  thou  desire  tp  be  a  disciple  of 
Christ,  and  dost  thou  love  his  Word?  then  be  not 
ashamed  of  this  mark,  but  be  thou  content  to  have  the 
world  thine  enemy.  For  thou  wilt  therein  find,  that,  not 
strangers  and  wicked  and  abandoned  men  only,  but  thy 
best  and  most  intimate  friends,  and  honourable  and 
worthy  men,  and  also  men  revered  and  respected  by 
the  world  for  their  sanctity,  will  turn  against  thee  and 
plot  thy  destruction,  or  will  traduce  thee  and  lay  snarei? 
for  thee  from  every  quarter.  And  yet,  there  will  be 
nothing  of  whiph  they  can  accusie  thee,  or  which  they 
can  lay  to  thy  charge ;  no  vice  of  which  they  can  condemn; 
thee,  either  of  living,  defrauded  any  one,  or  hurt  him, 
or  in  any  way  injured  him,  ^ but  only,  that,  thou  lovest, 
hddest,  cheri^st,.confes9^t,  and  preachest,  the  Word 
of  Ch^sL  For  thi?  cause^  thou  must  hear  thyself  called 
a  hecetic,  a  faouliar  with  the  devil,  and  the  greatest 
of  all  the  abomination?  tbatevej  were  heard  bf.npon  the. 
face  of  the  ^arth.  Thb  name,  far  exceeds  and  surpasses 
aU  t^e  i4iqiHJty  of  the  whole  world ;  nor  it  there  a  moie. 


nefarious  wickedness  or  baser  turfritode,  nor  any  i4oq 
more  depraved  in  the  whole  world,  than  to  be  a  Chris- 
tian. The  world  knows  how  to  wink  at,  to  pardon,  to 
cover  with  a  good  grace,  and  to  excuse  all  other  crimes; 
it  knows  how  to  extend  its  benevolence  .to  all  otbex 
enormities,  by  opening  its  doors,  by  toleration,  by  pity, 
by  affording  relief;  but  Christians,  the  earth  cannot 
endure ;  so  that,  he  who  persecutes,  condemns,  and 
punishes  them  with  death,  is  endowed  with  the  most 
exalted  virtues,  does  God  the  highest  service,  and  cchh 
fers  a  benefit  on  his  country ;  as  Christ  saith,  John  16. 
Therefore,  these  Words  are  most  expressive,  "  The 
world  hath  hated  them ;"  as  though  he  would  have  said, 
the  world  has  nothing  else  to  do  but  to  persecute  Chris- 
tians Avith  its  hatred,  although  it  has  many  other  calls 
for  exercising  its  hatred  upon  those  who  are  jmost-wortl^ 
of  hatred ;  such  as,  the  devil,  and  men  of  settled  and 
abandoned  wickedness.  For  all  the  force  of  the  matt^ 
rests  on  the  pronoun  them.  And  who  are  signified  by 
the  THEM?  Who,  but  Uiose  poor,  miserable,  yetb^ 
loved  Apostles,  Peter,  Paul,  and  the  rest.  These  are- 
those  pernicious  and  detestable  ones  whom  the  world 
cannot  endure.  And  what  have  they  done?  They 
have  stolen  nothing,  they  have  gotten  nothing  by  plun- 
der, they  have  defiuuded  no  one.  And  what  more?  They 
have  served  all  gratuitously,  bearing  and  proclaiming, 
through  the  greatest  labours  and  perils,  the  grace  of  God 
and  eternal  salvation.  And  what  reward  have  they 
gained  ?  None  but  the  most  furious  and  bitter  rage, 
and  the  most  insatiable  hatred  of  men,  whereby  they* 
are  exterminated  from  off  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  are* 
condemned  to  the  lowest  hell.  This  is  the  reward,  and 
these  are  the  thanks,  that  are  returned  to  Christ  and' 
his  Apostles.  And  what  else  can  the  world  do,  but; 
send  out  of  the  world  by  the  most  ignominious  death, 
the  innocent  man  who  has  shown  unto  them  righteous- 
ness, salvation,  and  eternal  life,  as  the  most  depraved  of 
malefactors !  None  however  must  do  this  but  the  most 
holy  of  all,  who  thought  that  they  never  did  a  more  accept- 
able service  to  God,  than  when  they  crucified  hia  only- 


8^ 

gotten  Sotf!  Whose  example,  our  more  than  mad 
rrants  follow  at  this  day:  who,  if  they  afflict  the 
rospel  with  every  possible  kind  of  atrocity,  and  oppress 
ir  friends  with  every  insult  both  of  word  and  deed, 
^  piersecuting,  by  killing,  by  burning,  are  then  called 
le  most  Christian  princes,  and  the  defenders  of  the 
lurch.  And  this  one  honour,  under  the  name  of  which 
ley  rage  against  our  friends,  covers  over,  and  gives  a  fair 
[dour  to  cdl  their  most  nefarious  enormities,  which  they 
Ooimit  againstboth  God  and  men. 

Now  see  if  the  world  be*  not,  in  these  few  words, 
lost  descriptively  pourtrayed.  And  see  also,  how  great 
s  goodness  is,  even  where  it  is  best.  If  then  this  be  its 
nost  glorious  excellency,  let  the  devil  praise  it,  for  I  will 
lOt.  i  hope,  however,  (blessed  be  God  !)  that  we  also 
hall  have  our  honours  in  our  time,  and  be  found 
idomed  with  these  titles  of  nobility.  For  the  devil  per- 
ecutes  us  with  a  hatred  sufficiently  bitter,  as  we  have 
litfaerto  abundantly  felt,  and  as  we  even  now  expe- 
ieiice :  with  such  fury  and  cruelty  does  the  world  ra^ 
igainst  our  doctrine:  and  when  they  can  do  nothing 
Bore,  they  sufficiently  evince  their  galled  and  malicious 
nind  towards  us  by  their  cursings,  execrations,  and 
blasphemies. 

'Because  they  are  not  of  the  world  even  as  I  am  not 
tff  the  iporld. 

.  In  the  catalogue  of  those,  (saith  he,)  whom  the 
world  hates,  I  also  am  to  be  numbered,  and  to  be  put 
6rst  upon  the  list.  And  therefore,  my  disciples  will  not 
bave  a  better  lot  than  I  had:  for  if  they  called  the 
Diaster  of  the  house  Beelzebub,  (as  he  saith  also  in 
another  place,)  how  shall  they  pay  more  respect  to  his 
disciples,  and  to  them  of  his  household  ?  But  the  world, 
as  it  appears  to  itself,  has  just  causes  for  persecuting 
me  witfi  hatred :  nor  can  I  be  in  favour  with  it  when  1 
am  forced  to  shew  unto  it  its  blindness  and  misery,  and 
to  reprove  the  folly  of  its  wisdom  and  outside  show  of 
sanctity,  which  is-  accounted  nought  before  God.  Not 
that  my  design. is  to  hurt  them,  or  to  do  them  any  in- 


jury,  bnt  to  bring  theitt  help,  whi}6  I  would  resetle  titeir 
miserable  and  captive  souls  from  tilie  jiiws  of  the^dc^ 
and  lead  them  unto  Ood.  This  the  devil  cannot  bMr^ 
and  therefore  it  is  that  he  so  much  storms  and  rai 
stirring  up  and  exasperiating  their  minds  against  ihe 
my  Word.  And  the  world  cannot  depart  from  its  bl&i^ 
ness  and  presumption,  nor  patiently  sufier  its  de^ds  and 
whole  life  to  be  condemned  and  accounted  nought. 

And  hence  arises  the  contention  whereby  we  aite 
divided,  and  whereby  we  stir  up  all  their  hatred  and 
•wrath  against  us.  And  things  are  brou^t  to  thfe  state 
which  Christ  has  before  described  in  the  7th  (Chapter  W 
John,  "The  world  cannot  hate  you,  but  me  itfrnted}, 
because  I  testify  of  it  that  the  works  thereof  are  eviE'' 
Therefore,  as  it  hates  me  on  account  of  my  Word,  so 
rfso  does  it  hate  my  disciples  to  whom  I  have  givjrt  5 
that  Word,  and  by  which  I  have  taken  them  out  6f,  anl  f 
separated  them  from,  the  world.  -  ■  S 


1 


ij 


t 


By  this  kind  of  preaching,  however,  we  ought  to  be 
raised  up,  who  have  the  Gospel  and  who  really  fed  tfkir  |i 
hatred:  for  they  can  charge  us  with  none  other  faul^  '; 
than  that  we  are  Christians,  and  will  not  remain  wHI  ( 
them  under  the  power  of  the  devil.  Therefore,  (siSjk  p 
Christ,)  "  I  have  given  them  thy  Word,"  that  they  ma^ 
rejoice  and  delist  in  this,  against  all  the  ignonoinj  and  h 
contempt  of  the  unhappy  world ;  and  that  thus,  thw  It 
may  with  a  gladdened  mind  despise  all  its  favour  ana  it 
applause,  and  account  it  nou^t;  yea,  may  avoid  and  ib 
shun  it  by  all  possible  means,  and  have  nothing  tb  dft  \ 
with  it  '  ■'■  \ 


I  pray  not  that  thou  shouldest  t(fke  them  out  cf  ^■ 
the  world*  •       ' 


■H 

N 

h 


I  pray  not  that  they  might  go  with  me  out  of  the  ; 
world,  for  not  a  few  things  remain  to  be  accomplished  ^ 
by  me  through  them ;  namely,  that  they  may  extend  in^  ^ 
kingdom,  and  make  my  flock  more  numerous.  They  \ 
have  received  the  Word  from  me,  but  a^  my  counseb  \ 
will  not  permit  me  to  reitnain  longer  in  the  world,  tfae^  || 
are  many  yet  to  be  converted  by  them,  and  to  bi  ji 


87 

TOughty  tfaraa^  thefar  Woid,  to  believe  on  me,  (as  he 
nil  presently  shew);  for  their  sakes,  therefore,  I  pray 
;Ot  that  thou  shouldest  take  them  out  of  the  world ; 
bou^  the  world  cannot  endure  their  presence,  and 
tiey  oa  the  other  hand  have  had  enough  of  the  world 
nd  nauseate  it 

And  this  is  the  reason  why  Christians,  and  espe- 
ially  ministers,  ought  to  desire  a  longer  life ;  which  we, 
ogether  with  Christ,  ought  to  ask  of  God  for  thein;  for 
^is  of  the.  greatest  importance  that  they  should  have 
heir  lives  prolonged  as  much  as  possible.    The  devil 
ind  the  world  are  our  greatest  enemies,  (as  w6  have  al- 
leady  heard,)  and  afflict  us  with  every  kind  of  plague. 
BHierefore,  we  are  compelled  to  see  and  hear  without 
ntermission,  that  which  is  the  greatest  pain  unto  us, 
ind  which  grieves  our  heart.    Such  and  so  base  are  the 
ingratitude  and  contempt  of  malignant  men,  and  so 
horrible  is  their  blasphemy,  and  their  persecution  of  the 
Word  of  God.    From  all  which  things,  it  is  no  wonder 
if  a  minister  be  thus  wearied  out  with  preaching  the 
Word  only.     And  therefore,  nothing  would  be  more 
desirable,  than  if  God  should  take  us^out  of  the  world  at 
our  first  outset,  and  thus  prevent  us  from  being  com- 
pelled to  see  and  hear  such  wickedness,  ingratitude,  and 
blasphemy.     But  why  should  this  be  ?  Tnere  is  ever  a 
small  company  who  are  daily  in  jeopardy  in  manifold 
ways,  and  we  must  watch  and  labour  that  these  be  not 
torn  away  from  the  Gospel,  nor  must  that  care  be 
omitted  as  long  as  we  live.     For  it  is  a  laborious  and 
arduous  task,  with  all  our  labours,  devotedness,  and  di- 
ligence, to  keep  the  Word  among  a  few ;  and  a  wonder 
It  is,  that  it  does  not  come  to  destruction  utterly,  and 
that  all  do  not  go  over  to  the  devil  together. 

But  that  thou  shouldest  keep  them  from  the  evil. 

Afflictions  and  perils  we  must  endure  in  the  world 
for  the  Word's  sake,  both  from  tyrants  and  from  sects, 
which  will  assail  us  on  all  sides ;  the  one  with  fal^e  doc- 
trines, the  other  with  all  the  bitterness  of  persecution, 

boifa  leaving  no  stone  unturned  that  the  worid  may 


88 

be  torn  from  us.  And,  in  addition,  tb  this,  we  live  sinr- 
rounded  with  so  powerlful  an  army  of  deytlSy  that  we  aie 
like  one  poor  lost  solitary  sheep  in  the  midst  of  wolvea; 
yea  rather,  we  live  in  the  midst  of  the  most  furious  and 
roaring  lions,  (as  Peter  saith,)  who  are  all  gnadma 
their  teeth  at  us,  and  ready  to  grind  us  to  pieced  witn 
their  iaws,  and  to  swallow  us  up. 

And,  tell  me,  who  is  it  that  preserves  us  in  such  i^ 
perilous  state  of  things,  so  as  to  enable  us  to  stand  in  the 
midst  of  such  a  multitude  of  the  most  deadly  and  crufl) 
enemies?   Who  is  it  that  keeps  us  from   being  caat^ 
down  in  our  minds,  from  despairing  every  moment,  andl 
from  losing  both  the  Word  and  faith  together  ?   Who  is 
it  that  at  such  times  as  these  defends  us  against  the 
power  of  our  tyrants,  and  against  the  inveterate  malice 
of  the  devil  ?  (For  they  enter  into  so  many  and  multi- 
farious counsels  against  us,  and  lay  so  many  clandestine 
plots  against  our  lives.   And  they  are  indeed  sufficiently 
powerful  to  hurt  us,  and  we  are  weakness  itself;  neither 
are  will  and  attempt  wanting  to  them ;  and  their  minds, 
moreover  are  so  filled  with  rage  and  bitterness  agaipet 
us,  that  they  would  willingly  devour  us  alive,  and,  m 
the  Germans  say,  swallow  us  down  at  a  spoonfuL)^*?! 
answer;  No  human  power  or  wisdom  has  hitherto  piOr 
tectqd  us.    The  guardian  of  our  safety  sitteth  above  rl 
who,  '  mindful  of  this  prayer,   saith,  My  Christ  oncA  | 
prayed  for  them ;  and,  for  this  cause  they  are  to  be  kept  \ 
land,  defended  by  me. — And  this  is  our  trust,  protecticmf  » 
and  defence,  which  prevents  our  enemies  from  fulfilling  t^ 
the  desire  of  their  mind  in  afflicting  us,  though  th^  . 
should  burst  with  the  overwhelming  rage  of  their  furioiis 
though  impotent  mind ;  or  though  they  should  persecute: 
us  in  vain  till  the  minds  are  tired  out ;   for  God  will 
rescue  us  from  their  teeth,  while  they  are  hurled  hiead- 
long  to  destruction. 

They  are  not  of  the  world  even  as  I  am  not  of 
the  world. 

r 

This  is  that  on  which  our  whole  consolation  rests  ;* 
and  therefore  it  is  that  he  repeats  it  so  many  times,  and 


Y  that  means  touches  the  heart  and  thoughts  of  bis 
isciples  :  for  what  he  would,  say,  is  this; — Ye  feel  and 
omplain  that  ye  must  yet  remain  in  the  world,  which 
Eumot  endure  you  and  which  loads  you  with  every  evil, 
>  that  ye  are  every  hour  in  peril  of  your  salvation,  I 
DOW  full  well.  But  ye  ought  to  be  content  with  tl^s 
:>iisolation- — that  they  will  never  have  power  over  you, 
ad  that  you  will  never  be  left  in  their  hands,  because 
QiU  are  not  their's  but  the  Father's.  Take  of  the  world 
a  eternal  farewell,  who  belong  to  their  own  god,  tHe 
evil :  for  you  shall  have,  even  in  the  midst  of  yoiir 
fflictions  from  a  raging  world,  a  sure  protection :  being 
;>  guarded  as  to  have  no  part  of  the  world  whatever 
LncL  when  God  shall  see  a  ht  time,  he  shall  deliver  you, 
lid  take  you  out  of  the  way  of  that  destruction  that 
ball  overwhelm  the  wicked. 

Sanctify  theni  through  thy  truth. 

He  here  presses  still  one  thing  more ;  yet,  whatever 
le  asks  pertains  to  the  Word  only.  He  does  not  say,  If 
t  is  thy  will  to  defend  them  from  afBictions,  then  cause 
hem  to  run  away  into  some  desert,  or  to  hide  them* 
elves  in  some  monastery;  but,  Defend  them  that 
hey  may  remain  sanctified,  and  that  ^^  through  thy 
Timif''  which  is  true  and  pure  sanctification.  But  what 
le  would. say  is  this : — In  the  world  they  are  involved  in 
nanifold  perils  and  necessities,  but  no  greater  or  more 
lerilpas  trial  awaits  them,  that  a  guarding  against  being 
levied  by  any  false  holiness.  For  what  the  devil  aims 
It  .with  his  might,  is  to  introduce  by  the  leaders  of  his 
sects,  that  doctrine  which  carries  with  it  the  greatest 
ihpw  apd  the  most  plausible  appearance  of  truth  and 
mnctity.  /And  this  doctrine  he  knows  how  so  to  set  off*, 
tibat  it  far  exceeds  all  others  in  splendour  and  outside 
fhow,  aqd  we  are  compelled  to  say  it  is  of  all  the  most 
Bjbiking ;  even  as  an  harlot  often  outvies,  in  appearance, 
chaste  matrons  and  women  of  honour.  And  indeed  this 
rdigion  is  that  attractive  and  scarlet  whore  of  Babylon, 
meatianed  ia  Rev.  icvii.  adorned  with  purple  and  scarlet, 

VMU  II.'  •     H 


#9fti  embroider^  {^d,  jprecidas  stohi^,  mA  jei^eb,  ^ 
ti^bm  the  kings  of  the  earth  have  committed  fornicKti 
..  It  is  upoa  this,  therefore,  that  the  hinge  of  tdl  t 
^intention  and  conflict  which  we  have  to  wage  with 
devil  turns.  For  he  does  not  attack  us  with  temp^tad 
to  gross  and  fleshly  sins,  knowing  that  all  suth 
dfe&vours  would  be  in  vain,  and  that  be  should  djer 
g^n  no  victory  at  all.  But,  seeing  that  all  our  strivi 
and  endeavours  are  directed  to  me  attainment  of  fa 
heisy  he  sets  that  holiness  only  before  us,  that  be  mi 
jfimnsh  us  with  help  in  the  acquirement  pf  it :  and  v 
such  splendour  does  he  adorn  and  set  off  this  hoUni 
that  no  human  power  can  overcome  it,  but  we 
dfec^eived  and  caught  by  its  appearance,  imagitimg  ft  to 
i^eal.  Therefore  we  must  without  intermission  stt 
against  false  holiness. 

The  meaning  therefore  of  this  prayer  is  this': — I ; 
the  world  running  about  and  striving  with  all  tb 
ioi^t  after  a  singular  holiness,  and  every  one  becoffli 
the  inventor  of  some  particulkr  work  and  instibrti 
whereby  he  may  appear  particularly  holy :  but  do  th< 
0  dearest  Father,  defend  them  from  all  outside  shchilr 
holiness,  and  sanctify  them  in  truth.  And  to  be  sam 
l^ed  in  truth,  is  what  Paul  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Ep! 
dians^  chap.  iv.  calls  beins  "  created  in  righteousness  t 
true  holiness."  Hence  Christ,  and  Paul  likewise,.  6 
tfiat  there  are  many  who  have  the  praise  and  honooi 
holiness,  and  want  to  make  every  body  else  holy,  but  i 
tiieir  holiness  is  all  in  outshide  show. .  That  notori< 
whore  of  Babvlon  with  her  golden  cup,  makes  use  of 
most  beautiful  words  and  scriptures,  but  there  is  noth 
within  but  the  greatest  of  abomination. — What  the) 
true  holiness,  and  how  are  we  to  attain  unto  it  ?  ^ 
here  is  the  great  point — to  know  how  to  attain  u 
the  true  holiness,  so  as  not  to  be  deceived  by  the  tk 
And  this  question  Christ  himself  answers;    as  imi 

Cutely  foQows, 

Thy  ward  is  truth. 
Thou   desifest  to   know  for   a  certaia^-  md-r 


9i 

ilftlibly,  what  true  aiid  reA\  hoIioesB  i^,  that  tbou  mayest 
)(^  able  to  distinguish  it  from  all  others:  then  look  at 
he  Word  only,  and  suffer  not  thyself  to  be  deceived  by 
toy  felse  show.  For  the  Word  is  a  true  touchstone, 
(thereby  real  holiness  is  distinguished  and  discovered : 
lay,  the  Word  itself  is  that  alone  which  truly  sanctifies. 
Li6t  others  arrogantly  boast  of  their  holiness,  on  account 
if  iheir  siiaven  pates,  their  hooded  cloaks,  their  strings 
aid  tassete,  their  fastings,  their  watchings,  then-  severity 
f  living,  their  hard  labouring,  and  their  sufferingB,  &e. 
"lit  do  thou  hold  fast  this — that  whatsoever  is  not  the 
Vord,  or  to  be  proved  by  the  Word,  is  not  holiness, 
at  falsity,  profanity,  frivolity,  and  a  thing  of  nought. 

And  here,  if  you  say  that  the  authors  of  these 
lets,  boast  also  of  the  Word  of  God-^I  answer :  The 
evil  also  kboH's  that  all  depends  upon  the  Word,  and 
lat  Christ  sets  the  Word  before  us :  and  therefwe,  he 
bo  aims  at  citing  the  scriptures.    But  we  say,  that  we 
re  to  hear  that  Word  from  the  mouth  of  Christ  only, 
(e  tbat  hewilh  and  believeth  this,  has  rightly  the  truth 
r    God  wMift  sanctifieth,    without  any  hypocritical 
low :  for  if  thou  believe  his  Word,  then  thou  etaiBt 
M  fast  no  hope  or  confidence  in=  thy  own  reason  and 
i^om,  nor  in  thy  own  strength  and  works ;  nor  canst 
Wu  arrogate  to  thyself  any  holmess  because  of  them, 
?*ble  to  avail  before  God.    Therefore,  he  that  is  of  this 
md  cannot  be  proud  and  arrogant;  for  be  can  find 
idling  in   himself  on  account  of  which   he   can  he 
eiftsed  with  himself  or  of  which  he  can  boast.    And 
m  see,  that  unfeigned  humility  always  follows  where 
efe  is  unfeigned  faith.    And,  true  patience  and  lo^  fp 
e  brethren  always  follow  upon  true  humility.    When 
I  are  under  the  infl^i^nce  of  this,  we  despise  no  on#, 
f  serve  and  are  kind  to  all ;  and  whatever  evil  comes 
«in  us,  we  endure  it  with  a  patient  mind ;  we  are'it^t 
tK^ful,  nor  do  we  revenge  Hljuries,  when  w^  aoMt 
th  ingratitude,  perfidy,  grief,  ignominy,  and  repfftiMlk, 
id>  i&A  word,  sujdi  does  &ith  m&ke  a  man;  f faiEit  he 
Bk  deceitftiHy  wid^  no  one,  but  openly,  sincerely,  aiid 
)tfidly,  for  fae  k  by  ftldi  upright  before  Ood  md 

Hi 


9S 

wHliout  dissimulation.    For  he  do^  not  by  his  life  and    f 
.works  seek  his  own,  nor  in  any  respect  look  to  his  own    i 
prdfity  (for  he  is  contented  wilh  Christ  and  his  benefits, 
.because  he  has  in  them  an  all-sufficient  fulness,)  but  be 
does  what  he  does   gratuitously,  that  he  might  ^proGi' 
.others.    Behold  such  is  an  elect  man,  and  such  an  one  is 
in  high  estimation  with  God,  and  honourable  before  mra. 
Compare  now,  if  you  please,  with  such  a. man  as 
this,  those  others  proud  in  their  external  show  of  holi- 
.ness;  among  whom  ybu  will  find  nothing  of  faidi.in    i 
^Christ,  for  this  they  make  light  of.     They  have  the   ji 
Word  indeed,  but  in  show  only,  for  they  do  not  hold  it    \ 
in  heart  and  seriously,  nor  thus  observe  it;  but,  leaving    i 
:the  Word,  they  devote  themselves  to  their  singular  and 
s^lf-chosen  works;  wherein  they  seek  not  the  glory  of 
.Christ  (for  he  regards  not  such  work)  but  their  own,    1 
and  are  thereby  considered  as  most  holy.    And,  out  nf 
all  the  orders  of  men  you  will  not  find  any  more  proud, 
.more  arrogant,  more  haughty,  more  overbearing,  nor 
any  such  impatient  beasts :  (indeed,  why.  should  we  oiU 
;them  men?)  nor  are  there  any  more  ready  to  despise 
others.    They  look  with  contempt  upon  all  things,  they 
set  nought  by  all  things  that  are  not  exactly  according 
to  their  opinion ;  and  yet  they  cannot  bear  that  any  one 
should  reprove  their  ways  in  a  single  word :  they  pard^ 
nothing,  they  take  nothing  in  good  part   And  yet,  there 
is  no  one, who  enjoys  their  bounty,  they  are  a  benefit  to 
<jilPr;Q»e,  they  serve  no  one, .^but  wait  and  desire. alb  to 
serve  them,  while  they  do  not  one  work  which  can  be 
-beneficial  .to  their  ii^ighbour.    Moreover,  they  are  of  all 
men  the  most  envenomed  and  the  most  thirsty  Qf  the 
blood  of  Christians :  Hi^  such  fruits  proceeding  fnfm 
these  monsteffr  are  set  forth  :^very  where  in  the  Gospd, 
and  in  the  JBpistles  by  St  Paul :  and  the  same  we  see  at 
tMs  dm^ia^  Uie  sects  of  Popery,  ^  the  Anabaptists, 
and  of  otteiB,^  by  what  tiam^  soever  they  may  he 
tailed. 

Bdboldj  ^|ti6  y^  will  soon  know  the  bree  by  its 

.  fruits,  wd  ndsQ  who ,  they  are  who  haw  and  holdf  ^ 

Woi^  of  Cbtist,  lively f  jskicmfys  and  without- di^mpi- 


99 

^  J  klion.  ^  For  these  diings  can  never  exist  together,  that, 

-:  where  the  Word  is  in  the  heart,  there  should  be  also  a 
ic  seeking  of  holiness  by  our  own  works  and  life,  and  a 
m  trusting,  to  them. — 'Inese  words  all  our  wise,  learned, 
p  leliffloas,  and  holy  ones  can  hear  and  read,  but  no  one 
a  «f  tnem  can  understand  what  they  mean :  they  despise 

3  Aem  as  trite  and  old  sayings,  and  if  they  are  addressed 
■  Id  them  they  cannot  encrare  them. 
_  1  We,  however,  by  the  grace  of  God,  well  know  that 
ii  trne  holiness  is  nothing  else  but  a  true  faith  in  the  Word 
e  of  Christ,  which  the  Father  first  freely  giveth  us,  and 
m  ifterward  strengthens  and  increases;  from  which  all 
s«  Jcinds  of  good  miits  proceed,  (as  we  have  before  ob- 
Bi  served;)  end  those  same  fruits  are  increased  daily  by 
m  onAU  d^rees.    All  which  is  not  of  our  own  works  and 

I  M«ngth,  but  of  the  grace  and  power  of  God  only.  For 
^  we  openly  and  freely  confess  before  the  whole  world, 
pi  ind  in  the  face  of  all  devils  and  sects,  that  there  is  no 
g;  Htj  no  good  works,  no  spiritual  and  sublime  cogi- 
m  Ittionft,  nor  any  self-forced  devotion,  that  can  make 
1^  nen  saints.  And,  in  a  word,. that  there  is  nothing  in  us 
^,1  fiom  which  holiness  can  proceed.  For,  to  macerate  the 
d  body  by  fisistings,  to  walk  with  naked  feet,  to  have 
xji  Mning  of  our  own,  seems  to  carry  with  it  a  great  show 
^  sC  humility  and  suffering,  but  all  these  things  the  most 
,  I  ihtndoned  profligates,  the  most  desperate  characters, 
B£f  4^  Turks,   and  Heathens  can  do  also.     But,  to  fix 

s  ^  oor  thouj^ts  on  Christ,  and  to  cleave  to  him  alone 
cM  bjf  fiuth,  as  him  in  whom  alone,  without  any  merit  and 
J  ci|  ^•wks  rf  our  own,  we  have  divine  grace  and  everlasting 

dj  Jlfejisa  work  not  of  any  human,  but  of  divine  power. 
2  f  And  it  is  in  this  that  the  whole  of  our  salvation  stands : 
5o!f  ^  where  this  is  maintained,  there  the  Word  is  held  in 
>  stf  ^purity  and  sincerity,  there  is  true  holiness,  and  there 
aptt  y  OBtwde  showand[  hypocrisy  are  judged  and  con- 

DSf    WKMd. 

In  jj^  '^^  ^^  ^^'  ^^  ^^'^  '^^  toorldf  even  so  have  J 
oW  ^^^h^if^o  the  world/ 

Ins^  '  b  tfiese  words,  yon  hear  why  Christ  prays  th^i. 


94 

9i^^  tb  ^netify  tixm :  namky,  Aat  he  inigbt  iKtt 
tlttmi  a^^art  and  send  ^m  finm  into  tile  worid  io 
|)rettch  the  Gospel.  And  by  these  ivords,  Christ  creataB 
Ms  ^{k>st}es,  ftiid  fomis  them  into  teachers  and  preachem, 
liiaking  all  of  ns  to  be  their  disciples,  and  sabje€tiii|(  w 
IS  to  their  mouth,  wheth€r  learned  or  nnlearned,  that 
e^rery  one  might  humble  himself  with  bow  mudi  witr 
dom,  learning,  and  gentas  soever  he  amy  he  eedaedi 
and  that  all  might  differ  those  simple  fishermen  to  be 
tiheir  itinsters  and  teachers,  and  hear  them  as  tfaey  #ouUi 
fiear  Christ  the  Lord. 

'I  have  sent  them  into  the  worid  as  thou  hast  i^mt 
me^  is  no  common  saying:  even  as  we  have  Juat 
before  heard  it  said  and  set  forth,  that  it  is  nd  trifling 
matter  to  believe  that  Christ  was  sent  into  the  worid  by 
the  Father :  that  is,  to  be  fiiUy  persuaded  in  thy  ocmt 
scTence,  and  nndoufotingly  to  believe,  that,  whtn  tbo« 
hiiarest  the  words  that  proceed  ont  of  tbe  month-  of 
Christy  thou  hearest  the  Father  speaking  unto  thee  froili 
heSaven.  And,  if  we  could  believe,  this  truly  and'  fum 
tMir  heart,  we  should  not  make  so  light  of  them  aa  we 
do.  For  that  great  multitude  of  the  learned^  together 
%ith  their  disciples,  who  boast  much  of  the  Wordi 
trifle  with  it  as  thou^  it  contained  only  the  words  of 
i^ome  hackneyed  author.  Let  us  however  devote  our* 
sdves  to  it  with  all  humiUty,  praise,  and  thankfulneaa, 
as  our  greatest  and  best  treasure. 

And  what  is  there  in  all  things  human  end  divine 
i<^ch  any  one  should  desire  with  more  ardent  wishaiy 
than  once  to  hear  God  himself  speaking  ?  Nor  is  thene 
aby  one  who  would  not  willingly  go  as  far  ea  tbd 
notthem  pole  smd  the  frozen  ocean,  if  he  cotdd  gain  the 
M)jeict  of  such  a  wish.  Here  then  is  given  to  thee  the 
sureist  testimony,  liiat  he  who  hears  the  Word  of  Christ, 
fa^i^th  the  Wtrd  of  him  who  made  the  heaven  ^ai^ 
the  earth  by  his  Word,  and  who  still  governa  apdL 
t|^)]^ds  the  same  by  the  finger  of  his  power — heareth 
that  Word,  wherein  God  the  Father  opens  and  laiBxi* 
fests  his  mind  and  will,  and  w^ereiti  he  oftfers^  tod  firc^ 
tiiystows  iill  ^gritce  attd'go^nesa,  itnd  idi  the^tveteuiils  of 


9^ 

his  lovrng-kindaess ;  ifi  a  word^  whereia  aU  our  Baln^ 
C)W  end  blessedness  consists,  wherein  all  our  heipf  coin,- 
wlatioii;  safety,  and  victory  in  all  necessities  and  temn;- 
tations  are  placed ;  for,  to  that  Word,  heaven  and  earlj^ 
and  the  devil  and  all  creatures  must  give  way. 

Behold  this  same  thing  is  here  testified  concemii^ 
the  mouths  and  preaching  of  the  apostles,  ^^  As  them 
saotest  me  into  the  world,  even  so  I  have  sent  then^ 
lliat  is^  as  they  have  heard  me^  so  also  are  they  to  be 
heard  hy  all  mv  future  /disciples.  This  is  the  same  also, 
as  that  he  said  unto  them  in  another  place,  *^  He  that 
heareth  you  heareth  me."  Therefore,  we  are  to  ta^ 
diligent  heed  that  we  hearken  unto  the  mouths  of  Petc^ 
and  of  Paul,  and  of  all  others  who  have  this  testimony;: 
and  we  are  to  be  as  fully  persuaded  in  our  con^cieiKiffs 
concerning  them,  and  are  to  pay  as  much  deference  |p 
them,  as  if  we  were  hearing  all  the  angels,  yea,  Oq^ 
himself,  speaking  from  heaven  with  his  own  mou|^. 
Iliis  is  in  truth  to  honour  fishermen,  and  sin^ple  oi^es  pf 
the  lai^yy  hi^y  and  worthily  with  the  dignity  of  doctors ; 
or  ratitfx,  to  make  them  priests  and  bishops  with  the 
divine  authority  itself;  which  honour  never  was  con- 
ferred upcm  any  of  the  learned,  wise,  or  holy  c^es  upon 
aaith. 

-  fiy  these  words  therefore,  we  are  to  stop  the  moutljs 
of  certain  vain  talkers  and  blasphemers,  wh%  pra^ 
against  us,  that  we  teach  that  human  doctrines  und  fff^- 
cepts  are  not  to  be  received.  '  What !  (say  they)  were 
not  Peter  and  Paul  men?'  3ehpld  here  the  g^t 
wisdom  at  these  ^s^e& ;  they  thus  boasti^gly  prate,  |i^ 
li^Qi^  they  had  effec^taally  caught,  and  vanquished  us  % 
reasoning  thus—St.  Paul  was  a  mux :  the  Pope  also  is 
a  man.  Paul  was  a  saint:  therefore,  the  Pope  is  the 
greatest  of  saiats.  Andy  if  the  Pope  is  not  to  i^ 
received  and  heard :  then>  neither  is  Paul  to  be  jeceivad 
ifmd  beard*  t 

jo  this  pbjpotipn,  make  thou  this  answer  :---My 
good  /r^^i  (say  thoii)  ]Let  the  Pope  pro44ce  a  te:||^t 
4il.;wiik^  the  authodty  ^  teachii?^  4s  confejxe^  o^  ihuVi 
m  'ibMr  t^t  confefflf  ^th^  author^y  pn  d^  ^postle^r  aijfd 


96- 

Alien  we  will'hetrr  him.  Christ  saith,  tlAi  his  ttpostlei  and 
f^chers  shall  teach  and  live,  as  he  himself  taught  and 
Kviea!  Now  then,  if  Paul  had  taught  any  thing  more  or 
less  than  what  Christ  used  to  teach,  that  would  n6 
longer  be  the  doctrine  of  the  apostle^  but  of  the  man. 
Paul  was  indeed  a  man  bom  at  Tarsus,  but  when  he 
assumes  this  title,  "  Paul  a  servant  and  an  apostle  of 
Jesus  Christ,"  then  thou  no  longer  hearest  the  mere 
man,  but  the  mouth  and  tongue  of  God  and  of  the 
Lord  Christ,  who  has  put  his  Word  into  the  Apostle's 
thouth.  For  that  alone  is  called  human  doctrine,  which 
ahy  one  invents  and  frames  himself,  and  brings  forth : 
even  as  that  is  called  human  power,  wisdom,  and  per- 
formance, which  is  peculiar  to  man,  and  proceeds  from 
his  own  powers,  but  not  that  which  God  works  in  him 
above  and  beyond  nature. — When  Peter  raises  the  dead, 
or  speaks  wiui  divers  tongues,  you  cannot  by  any  means 
draw  therefrom  this  conclusion — Peter  raises  the  dead : 
therefore,  to  raise  the  dead  is  a  human  work.  The  ass 
of  the  prophet  Balaam  even  spoke  with  a  human  voice. 
Biit^  who  would  be  such  an  idiot  or  madman  as  to  say, 
that,  therefore,  to  speak  with  a  human  voice,  are  the 
words,  the  works,  and  in  the  power  of  an  ass  ? 

Wherefore,  we  also  say,  that  the  apostles  were  men, 
but  did  not  speak  as  men.  For  to  be  a  man  is  one 
thing,«but  to  speak  by  the  command  and  in  the  power 
and  wisdom  of  Gpd,  is  another.  We  wish  to  hear  men, 
but  not  speaking  as  men  in  their  own  spirit,  and  accord- 
ing to  their  own  will,  opinion,  and  understanding.  For 
the  matter,  as  the  Apostle  Peter  teaches,  1  Epist.  iv.  is 
thus,  ^^  If  any  man  speak,  let  him  speak  as  the  oracles 
of  God;  if  any  man  minister,  let  him  do  it  as  of  the 
ability  that  God  giveth,"  Hence,  he  has  here  confined 
the  apostles  within  certain  bounds,  that  they  «h6uld 
speak  nothing  but  what  Christ  spoke  and  commanded 
them  to  teach.  Wherefore,  it  matters  not  at  all  how 
great  a  saint  you  are,  as  though  you  were  to  be  heard, 
or  more  credit  were  due  to  yoii,  or  your  Word  were  to 
'be  Hie  more  esteemed,  or  to  be  considered  of  moi*  iirt- 
portance,  oh  that  account.-^ We  will  not  he^  what  St. 


] 


97 

Pkul*  ^fhfe,  btit  VHat  "  Pdul  the  servant  and  apostle  of 
Jesofi-  Christ,"  saith.  Ido  not  ask  in  how  great  sanctity 
of  life  you  shinCy  but  what  you  teach,  and  from  whoni 
Vou  received  the  command  to  teach, — that  is  what  I 
consider  is  to  be  looked  at. 

Wherefore,  let  but  the  Pope  and  his  bishops,  (as 

we  have  said,)  receive  and  exercise  such  an  office  of 

teaching  as  the  apostles  did,  (to  whose  place  and  office' 

they  boast  of  having  succeeded,)  and  we  will  receive  and 

honour  them  with  aJI  reverence,  will  hear  them,  and  bei^r 

them  on  our  hands,  and  honour  them  as  the  Galatians 

did  Paul,  who  would  immediately  and  willingly,  if  he 

had  wished  it,  have  carried  him  in  triumph  in  their  hands. 

Bat,  they  are  afraid  lest  that  should  come  upon  them 

in  the  world  which  Christ  here  intimates,  and  which 

happened  unto  himself,  and  which  falls  to  the  lot  of  us 

all  who  teach  the  Word  of  God. — They  fear  lest  they 

should  lose  their  dominion,  and  suffer  the  loss  of  all 

their  worldly  possessions,  and  be  prevented  from  being 

equal  to  the  princes  and   potentates  of  the  world  in 

power  and  pride,  and  lest  they  should  be  hated  by  the 

world,  and  should  meet  contempt,  ingratitude,  ignominy, 

persecution,  and  all  bitterness :  and  this  they  cannot  be 

persuaded  to  do:  therefore,  they  willingly  keep  free 

from  this  odious  province  of  teaching  the  Gospel. 

And  for  their  sakes  I  sanctify  myself 

This  also  he  adds,  that  he  might  again  strike  at  hypo- 
crites and  pretenders  to  holiness,  who  seek  their  sanc- 
tification  from  themselves,  procured  by  their  own  works, 
religion,  orders,  &c.  Christ,  however,  by  these  words 
plainly  shews,  from  whence  our  true  sanctification  flows, 
and  how  and  in  what  manner  it  is  prepared,  and  how 
we  are  to  attain  unto  it.  For,  after  he  had  prayed  that 
die  Father  would  sanctify  them  through  the  Word,  by 
which  also  others  were  to  be  brought-  under  grace,  some 
one  may  perhaps  ask,  what  kind  of  a  sanctitication  this 
18, -and  by  whom  it  is  procured  and  prepared.  Or, 
what  Word  that  is  which  offers  and  brings  unto  us 
-skncfificataon.   It  certainly  cannot  be  the  ten  command- 


9% 

inent3 :  though  tbey  are  the  Word  of  God,  «od  ^loe^ 
they  had  before :  yet,  though  they  are  holy,  they  caaoot 
give  that  sanctification  of  which  we  are  nere  speaking, 
^hich  makes  us  saints  before  God :  nor  can  we  by  our 
own  powers,  fulfil  what  they  require  of  us :  nor  can  they 
purify  the  heart  even  when  those  eternal  works  are  per- 
formed :  which  may  be  performed  by  hypocrites,  and 
the  most  abandoned  of  characters. 

To  the  inquiry,  Christ  answer3 — that  it  is  the 
preaching  of  the  Word  by  which  we  are  sanctified. 
"  For  their  sakes  I  sanctify  myself."  Here  you  hay« 
not  the  least  mention  whatever  of  our  own  works  and 
merits^  but  only  of  the  work  and  firee  gift  of  Christ, 
which  can  be  comprehended  by  ncMie  other  means  than 
by  faith. 

Christ  here  uses  that  term  "  sanctified  "  out  of  thf 
Old  Testament,  which  Moses  sometimes  uses  with  re^- 
ference  to  his  manner  of  worship,  when  he  calls  all  the 
sacrifices  offered  up  for  the  people,  "  sanctified."  And  by 
the  use  of  this  term  he  would  shew,  that  all  those  sacri- 
ficesj  together  with  all  the  worship  of  God  under  the  Old 
Testament,  are  abolished  and  done  away  with,  as  bein^ 
unavoidable  to  sanctify  any  one  before  God.  What  he 
wcHild  say  is  this— Under  Moses  they  were  said  to  be 
sanctifiecf,  who  brought  their  sacrifices,  and  sacrificed 
oxen,  or  sheep,  or  wheat,  or  flour,  or  wine,  or  brought 
any  other  things  of  the  same  kind.  Which,  when  the 
priest  took  them  into  his  hand,  were  no  longer  common 
things,  but  were  said  to  be  offered  to  the  Lord  and 
sanctified.  And  thus,  creatures  offered  for  the  children 
of  Israel  were  said  to  be  sanctified,  and  they  also  were 
sanctified  by  them.  But  this  was  only  an  external  sanc^ 
tification.  But  my  Christians  (saith  Christ)  have  need 
of  another  sacrifice  whereby  they  might  be  sanctified 
truly :  and  this  shall  be  done  by  my  sanctifying  myself 
for  them. 

These  words  therefore,  '*  And  for  their  sakes  I  smt^- 
tify  myself,**  are  not  to  be  understpod  as  si^ifyiijg,  thjEft 
Cnristhad  oee<^  tP  be  sanctified,  as  4>ae  ilw^'j^w  j^gt 
^anclified  before ;  for  he  wa&  hjo^y  fiom  tbp  wpmlb  pi 


St9 

k«  mother^  ii;^  tike  Evaogelist  Luke,  ctif p.  i.  tes^tifiet, 
*'  Ttmt  hpfy  dmg  which  shall  be  bom  of  thee^  slialt  be 
^led  tbe  Son  of  Goc)/'  But  to  ''sanctify/*  in  this 
place,  signifies  to  discharge  and  perform  the  ofiice  of 
priest.  I  will  once  say  mass,  (as  our  priests  say  when 
speaking  of  the  offertory  mass,)  I  will  offer  a  holy  sa- 
crifke  and  perform  the  office  of  priest.  And  what  shall 
that  be?  I  will  "sanctify  myself:"  that  is,  I  myself 
will  be  the  oflfering,  and  the  victim ;  and  therefore,  I 
shall  myself  be  the  priest  also.  These  words,  therefore, 
signify  in  our  language  of  the  present  day,  I  sacrifice 
myself  as  a  holy  sacrifice ;  and  that,  for  them  !  For  he 
did  not  need  it  for  himself,  being  in  liimself  holy,  and 
only  becoming  a  priest  that  he  might  sanctity  us. 

Upon  this  passage  much  might  be  said,  for  it  is  a 
most  beautiful  and  rich  text,  and  embraces  many  testis 
monies  and  passages  of  the  prophets;  wliich,  if  we 
should  enter  upon  a  Aili  exposition  of  them,  would  em- 
ploy us  more  than  a  whole  year.  We  would  however 
just  teach  as  we  go  on,  what  Christ  has  done  for  us, 
that  we  may  know  that  this  text  has  respect  thereunto, 
and  embraces  the  whole  of  it.  The  sum  of  the  whole 
then  is  this — that  Christ  .is  our  priest,  who  intercedes 
for  us  and  offers  himself  upon  the  cross  unto  God  tlur 
Father,  that,  by  this  his  sacrifice  and  death,  we  might 
be  reconciled  unto  God  and  sanctified.  And  this  is  our 
grand  article  of  faith,  the  fountain  of  all  our  conso^ 
latioQ,  and  all  our  treasure :  which  we  Christians  ou^ 
all  to  know.  And  Christ  thought  proper  to  make  men- 
tion of  this.  For,  as  he  was  speaking  of  the  Word,  and 
of  the  truth  by  which  we  cure  sanctified,  he  could  not  re- 
frain from  shewing  what  that  was  whereby  we  attain 
unto  sanctification :  namely,  he  shews  us  himself,  ^b 
having  merited  and  procur^  sanctification  for  us,  and 
freely  given  it  unto  us.  And  he  that  embraces  and  be^ 
lieves  this  Word,-=-he  is  truly  and  perfectly  ^nctified  I 

TTiat  they  also  might  be  sanctified  through  ike  tritth. 

.    Behold :  how^oquei^  aqd;  clea4y  be  speu^s  coDn 
iMmiiig  fieal  sawtifieatiQa,^  for  the  purpose  of  itistrnctii^ 


100 

Qft^  ill  order  that  we  mi^t  take  heed  tibat  we  eir 

from  the  trae  sanctificatibn ;  and  moredver,  diaif' 
might  take  care,  that  we  teach  no  other  sanctifies 
than  his,  nor  think  of  seeking  sanctification  in  any  6^ 
way.     For  he  well  knew  how  laborious  a  stru^le 
would  be,  and  how  many  temptations  would  attend  it 
how  it  is  engendered  in  us,  (even  in  us  who  are  Cb^ 
tians,)  to  seek  after  something  in  ourselves,  or  some 
that  we  are  to  do,  in  order  to  become  sanctified ; 
that  no  one  would  think,  that  all  he  had  to  do,  was  6 
believe  simply  and  only  in  the  Word,  and  thereby  ob- 
tain the  sanctification  of  Christ.     And  therefore  it  ^ 
that  he  repeats  with  so  much  care  the  words  "  throuoh 
THE  TRUTH,"  and  opposes  that  to  all  the  false  and  de^ 
ceiving  confidence  that  is  placed  in  human  and  natural 
sanctification. — My  sanctification  (saith  he)  causes  thcffi 
to  be  sanctified  in  truth.     Then,  if  this  be  true,  tfaw 
mayest  easily  conclude,  that  all  other  things  and  meaaifl^ 
thereby  we  impiously  pretend   to  become  sanctifiajl 
before  God,  are  to  be  accounted  vain  and  damnable. 
For  these  two  things  cannot  stand  together — that  the 
blooci  of  Christ  should  sanctify — and  that  our  profes* 
sions  and  works  should  procure  sanctification :  even  if 
they  should  be  the  lives  and  works  of  all  the  orders  of 
monks,  of  all  the  holy  fathers,  Francis,  Bernard,  Jerom, 
and  even  of  John  the  Baptist  himself;  which,  althou^ 
they  are  great  works,  become  profane  and  damnable  if 
we  tack  to  them  the  opinion  and  presumptive  idea  of 
sanctification,  to  the  degrading  and  blaspheming  of  the 
blood  and  death  of  Christ. 

Biit  on  the  other  hand,  where  there  is  a  right  faith, 
which  believes,  that  the  sanctification  of  Christ  alone 
avails  before  God,  and  becomes  our  sanctification, 
that  faith  sanctifies  all  our  works :  they  are  not  sanctified 
from  any  respect  to  our  own  merit,  but  for  that  faith's 
sake  from  which  they  flowed :  without  which,  no  works, 
no  life,  can  please  God.  And  hence,  if  any  one  should 
ask  what  state  or  life  is  the  most  holy  upon  earth,  thba 
mayest  in  a  moment  judge  and  answer, — the  cpminon 
state  of  all  Christians :  that  is,  of  those  who  believe  'that 


101 

Christ  alone  is  our  sanctification  I  And  it  is  from  this 
tree  and  root  of  sanctification,  (as  we  have  said,)  that  all 
things  that  are  in  us,  and  all  our  life  and  works  and 
exercises  are  accounted  holy, — even  because  the  person 
is  holy. 

And  this  also  you  may  see  from  this  text,  which  is 
not  to  be  concealed, — how  we  have  hitherto  been  de- 
ceived by  those  preachers  of  dreams,  who  never  said 
one  word  to  us  about  this  holiness  and  sanctification, 
nor  ever  made  mention  of  one  saint,  excepting  the  dead 
who  are  now  in  heaven ;  whereas,  the  whole  scripture, 
whenever  it  speaks  of  saints,  speaks  of  living  saints; 
and  the  reason  is,  because  it  has  nothing  to  do  with  the 
saints  that  are  dead  and  buried,  and  that  cannot  hear  the 
Word ;  and  therefore,  it  honours  them  with  the  appel- 
lation of  scuntspwho  hear  and  receive  the  Word,  though 
they  be^  yet  in  flesh  and  blood.  And  hence,  we  also  with 
Christ  are  to  call  and  account  them  saints,  who  have  his 
Word,  and  who  hold  it  fast  and  confess  it,  and  espe- 
cially  in  the  midst  of  temptations  and  persecutions,  even 
though  they  be  poor  miserable  weak  creatures^  and 
carry  ivith  mem  no  conspicuous  show  of  holiness.  For 
we  cannot  see  it  painted  on  the  man's  forehead  who  is  a 
real  saint  and  who  is  not.  This  however  we  know,  that 
where  the  Word  is  and  produces  fruits,  and  where  every 
kind  of  bitterness  and  affliction  is  endured  for  its  sake, 
there  must  be  saints. 

But  to  this  our  hypocrites  with  their  feigned  humility 
say,  ^  In  the  name  of  God,  what  art  thou  talking  about ! 
On,  God  forbid  such  a  thing !  How  can  any  man  be  so 
proud  as  to  bear  to  hear  himself  called  a  saint !  For  we 
are  nothing  but  miserable  sinners.'  To  such  I  thus 
reply :  All  such  sayings  as  these  proceed  from  the  old 
opinion :  by  which,  as  soon  as  ever  any  mention  is 
made  of  holiness  or  saintship,  we  immediately  think 
.  about  some  great  and  wonderful  works,  and  look  at  the 
saints  in  heaven,  as  though  they  had  attained  unto  theijc 
holiness  by.  their -own  merits. — We  however  say,  that 
.ihejbrae  and  real  saints,  of  Christ  tnugt  be  great  fmxi^t^ 
and  must  remain  such  saints  as  would  not  be  ashaiUM 


lOS 

to  pray  and  say,  *  Our  Father  which  art  Uk  heaven; 
h^lloived  be  thy  name/  &c.  By  which  words,  we'  &iti^ 
fe98  that  the  name  of  God  is  now  not  sanctified  in  tts  ii 
it  ought  to  be ;  that  the  affairs  of  his  kingdom  do  not  gi 
on  so  prosperously  as  they  ought ;  and  that  his  wiH  is  no! 
done.  And  yet  they  are  said  to  be  "  saints :  *'  not  however 
because  they  are  pure  and  free  from  sin,  or  because  they 
are  become  saints  by  their  works,  but  rather,  because 
they  themselves,  together  with  their  works,  are  all  sin, 
but  are  made  saints  by  a  sanctification  not  their  own : 
namely,  by  that  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  Vrhich  is 
freely  given  unto  them  through  faith,  and  thus  becom^i 
their  sanctification.  And  this  sanctification  is  of  that 
virtue  and  efficacy,  that  it  covers  and  blots  ont  all  the 
defects  and  sins  that  remain  in  the  flesh  and  blood. 
Even  as  I  have  said  before,  that  the  kingdom  of  Christ 
consists  of  nothing  else  but  free  remission  and  pardon; 
as  having  to  do  with  none  but  sinners ;  and  that  it  bl^ 
out  and  covers  all  sin,  and  purifies  our  life  as  Wmg  A 
we  have  it  upon  earth. 

Neither  pray  I  for  these  alone,  but  for  them  ako 
which  shall  believe  on  me  through  their  word. 

•  We  ought  to  write  this  text  in  letters  of  gold,  betausfe 

it  belongs  so  particularly  unto  us;  for  all  those  things 

which  were  said  before,  seemed  to  sound  as  if  they  b^ 

longed  to  the  apostles  only :  though  Christ  does  m* 

obscurely  declare,  that  his  words  have  a  more  extensive 

reference,  where  he  says,  "  As  thou  hast  sent  tne  int6 

the  world,  even  so  have  I   also  sent  them  infto  thfe 

world,"  &c.     And  here,  lest  any  trembling  conscieiiMife 

should  be  thrown  into  doubt,  and  say,  *  Christ  I  ktt&k 

prayed  for  the  apostles,  and  the  Jews  tS  whom  tlw^ 

•were  sent,  but  what  is  to  become  of  me  ?'    Christ  h&rb 

meets  this  objection,  making  mention  of  embmciftjg  * 

gentiles  also;  nay,  he  embraces  in  thii^  his  jprayer  all 

Christianity,  even  unto  the  last  day; — that  its*  {M#^ 

-teay '  extend  every  where  wherever  the!  word  ^  •  *the 

«|k>6flds  'i&hmiM  ^onve,  and  whe^evtii^  it  shottic^  6b;>^ 

MiV^d  byfikith,  rnvt^cicedr  j^rsbA  bdilg'^^^eludlM;  )fm^ 


103 

« 

iKis  is  our  hope,  our  confideDce,  and  diur  greatest  trea- 
sure; nor  is  there  in  ail  the  scripture  a  greater  testi- 
toony  in  favour  of  us  gentiles,  than  the  present  text 

Thiis  text  is  moreover  diligently  to  be  marked,  for 
the  manner  in  which  Christ  has  tnerein  extolled  and 
praised  the  preaching  of  the  apostles,  by  which  it  is  that 
we  are  brought  unto  him,  and  by  which  we  believe  in 
him.  For,  contrary  to  this  fundamental  point,  certain 
firothy  praters  teach  us  to  make  light  of,  and  set  at 
noa^t,  the  Word ;  asserting  that  the  Spirit  ought  to  do 
all  thmgs,  that  external  things  and  signs  and  the  voice 
of  the  preaching  profit  nothing  unto  faith  in  the  heart, 
and  that  the  internal  man  must  have  an  internal  Word. 
Before  such  madmen  as  these,  set  thou  this  text  in 
tetters  an  inch  long, — "  Who  shall  believe  in  m^ 
thrbuj^  then:  Mf  ord ;  and  ask  them,  whether  believing 
be  a  work  of  the  internal  or  the  external  man  ?  or,  whe- 
dier  the  apostles  preached  an  external  or  an  internal 
Word  ?  And  here,  they  surely  will  never  deny,  that 
these  words,  "  Who  shall  believe,"  (which  is  a  work  of 
the  b^art  and  of  the  internal  man,)  and,  '^  through  their 
word,**  are  to  be  joined  together.  For  he  is  called  the 
btemal  man,  who  believeth,  and  has  all  his  heart's  con- 
fidence and  hope  fixed  in  God  alone ;  and  he  the  exter- 
aal  man,  who  eats,  drinks,  sees,  hears,  walks,  stands, 
labours,  uses  these  and  those  motions,  and  is  in  all 
things  connected  with  the  works  of  the  body.  But; 
faith  is  no  work  of  the  body,  either  of  the  ears,  the  eyes, 
the  hands,  the  feet,  nor  any  other  member,  but  of  the  in-; 
temal  recess  of  the  heart. — Therefore,  when  Christ  says 
that  they  shall  believe,  that  is,  that  they  shall  become 
internal  or  spiritual  men,  through  the  word  of  the 
apostles ;  it  incontrovertibly  follows,  that  this  word  has 
not  respect  unto  the  outward  man,  but  profits  the  inter- 
nal man.  Hence,  their  vainly  prating,  that  the  external 
word  or  preaching  is  useless  and  of  no  avail,  but  unto 
Ac  external  testimony  or  the  confession  of  the  exterhd 
nam;  Is  ia  nothing  iBLt  ail. 

A|!d,tf'thlSy;6l4e(lt---*T^^^  the  external  word  is  df  ^^ 
tftdd^Htffify,  waaU  Who  tiear  It  ought  necessarily,  tb 


104 

I 

beciome  believers  and  be  saved. —  I  answer :  They  here 
(blessed  be  God !)  half  give  roe  up  the  point ;  for.  they 
cannot  deny  that  some  believe.  And  this  is  the  opinion 
I  hold ;  ajid  I  say,'  that,  although  all  do  not  believe,  yet, 
there  are  many  believers.  Christ  himself  does  not  say 
that  all  shall  believe.  But  yet,  it  does  not  follow  there- 
from that  none  shall  believe.  Why  then  do  they  talk  and 
conclude  thus — All  do  not  believe:  therefore,  faith 
does  not  come  by  the  Word.  In  this  manner  I  also  may 
turn  syllogist,  and  may  say — All  men  are  npt  obedient 
unto  rulers,  magistrates,  and  parents :  therefore,  it  evi- 
dently follows,  that  no  rulers,  magistrates,  or  parents  are 
necessary,  and  that  the  command  of  God  concerning 
these  matters  is  frivolous  and  superfluous. 

Therefore,  reversing  the  whole  matter,  and  turning 
the  argument  the  other  wayj  we  say, — We  know,  that 
some  who  hear  the  Word  believe,  which  can  be  proved 
and  made  evident  from  many  testimonies  and  examples 
of  the  scripture.  '^Therefore  we  thus  conclude— the  Word 
is  necessary  and  profitable,  not  to  the  ears  only,  but  to 
the  heart  and  to  the  inward  main.  And,  if  some  who 
hear  the  Word  do  not  believe,  this  takes  no  authority,^ 
value,  or  power  from  the  Word ;  but  it  neverthele$»- 
still  remains  true,  that  the  Word  is  the  medium  through 
which  faith  is  communicated  to  the  mind. — But,  away 
with  such  madmen,  for  they  are  not  worthy  that  their 
mad  dreams  should  be  brought  forward  in  the  exposi- 
tion of  this  most  beautiful  text,  in  order  to  be  refuted. 
Come  then,  let  us  lay  up  this  scripture  in  the  inmost  re- 
eesses  of  our  hearts  for  our  greatest  consolation,  and  let 
us  see  to  what  end  it  is  that  Christ  prays  for  us,  and 
what' blessing  his  prayer  is  to  procure  us. 

That  they  all  may  be  one. 

These  words  we  have  handled  and  explained  above 
— what  it  is  to  be,  one  or  one  things  and  what  it  effects 
for  us,— namely,  that  in  this  word  '*one"  arq  placed 
and  comprehended  all  our  defence,  and  our  redemption 
itpm  sin,  death,  and  the  world,  and  from  the  pQwer  of 
the  ^yil     For  he  that  believeth  thr9u^  the  .T^ojncl;  ^{f 


105 

the  apostles — to  him  are  given  the  grace  and  virtue  of 
this  prayer.    He,  together  with  all  Christians,  forms  the 
body  of  Christ :   so  that,  whatever  grief  or  whatever 
good  happens  unto  him  as  a  member  of  the  body,  the 
same  grief  or  good  happens  unto  the  whole  body :  nor 
does  this  or  that  ^int  only,  but  all  the  prophets,  martyrs, 
i^postles,  and  all  Christians  in  the  world  together,  and 
those  who  are  with  God,  suffer  with  him,  conquer  with 
him,  fight  for  him,  and  help,  defend,  and  uphold  him  : 
and  in  so  near  a  relation  do  diey  stand  to  him,  that  they 
bear  all  his  defects,  sufferings,  and  adversities,  and  he, 
on  the  other  hand,  participates  in  all  their  benefits,  con- 
solations, and  joys. 

And  what  greater  blessing  can  come  upon  any  one, 
than  to  be  brought  into  this  communion  and  fraternity, 
and  to  be  made  a  member  of  this  body,  which  is  called 
Christianity  r  Which  is  a  body  of  that  nature,  that  God 
has  united  to  it  himself,  with  all  his  infinite  blessings.  It 
is  an  high,  all-powerful  mistress  and  queen  of  heaven 
and  earth ;  at  whose  feet,  the  world,  the  devil,  death, 
and  hell,  must  fall  prostrate,  as  soon  as  the  Word  is 
spoken.  And,  who  can  hurt  the  man  that  has  this  con- 
fidence,"and  that  knows,  that  when  he  suffers  the  least 
grief,  all  heaven  and  earth,  with  all  the  saints  and  angels, 
cry  out  against  his  oppressors.  And,  if  he  be  assaulted 
by  sin  wishing  to  terrify,  gnaw,  and  -press  upon  his 
tonsdenoe  and  to  threaten  him  with  death  and  hell, 
God  immediately,  with  all  the  assembly  of  the  elect, 
says,  Neither  shalt  thou,  O  siri,  gnaw  him ;  nor  shalt 
&0U,  O  death,  destroy  him ;  nor  thou,  O  hell,  swallow 
him  up  !-^But  to  arrive  at  this,  there  must  be  faith ;  for 
to  our  natural  eyes,  and  to  this  world's  reason,  things 
appear  far  odierwise,  and  the  directly  contrary  is ,  sen- 
sibly ielt. 

As  thou,  Father  J  art  in  me,  and  I  in  thee,  that  they 
also  may  be  one  in  us. 

In  these  words  he  touches  again  upon  that  sublime, 
ai^hipi  his  divinity^  which  we  have  treated  on  at  some 
t^^g^  before.    He  presents  to  us  himself  and  the  Father 

VOL.  II.  I 


1 


106 

ists  an  example  and  a  similitude^  that  he  might  therel^ 
declare  unto  us  that  unity  wherein  he  desires  us  to  be 
united.  ^  I  and  thou  (saith  he)  are  one,  in  the  same 
divine  essence  and  majesty.'  According  to  this  example, 
we  ought  also  to  be  one  among  ourselves ;  and  so,  that  the 
unity  between  us  should  be  "one;"  that  is,  that  thou 
&nd  I  should  be  incorporated.  And,  in  a  word,  that  all 
should  be  one,  and  one  sotely,  in  us ;  and  that  we  should 
be  so  one  body,  that  all  may  have  whatever  thou  and  I 
possess.  Whereby  also  we  are  made  partakers  of  ths 
divine  nature,  as  Peter  saith,  S  Epist.  i. — And  althou^ 
the  Father  and  Christ  are  one  in  the  divine  essence  m 
a  more  sublime  way  that  cannot  b^  comprehend^, 
yet,  we  have  this  blessing,  that  we  enjoy  the  beniefits 
of  it. 

Moreover,  these  words  are  also  spoken  for  our  cOQr 
solation  and  stay  agaihst  the  world  and  the  devil,  ^(tf 
although  he  should  attack  any  one  weak  member  of  tb^ 
Christian  body,  and  think  he  had  devoured  them ;  oi^ 
although  he  should  make  an  assault  on  all  Chri^tianitji^ 
together,  and  should  wish  to  despise  it,  and  say,  Wb^ 
is  Christianity  to  me,  it  is  nothing  but  flesh  and 
blood ,'  yet,  he  is  compelled  to  hear  and  feel,  that  hehiiB 
not  attacked  us  only  but  Christ  himself,  and  not  Chrhl 
only,  but  the  Father  also ;  that  is,  the  omnipotent  and 
eternal  Majesty,  before  which  he  trembles  and  falls. 

Here  then,  behold,  we  are  so  united,  that  he  who 
touches  one  of  us,  touches  heaven  and  earth  and  all  the 
divine  creation.  And,  to  sum  up  the  whole  in  a  few  ^ 
words,  thou  canst  hold  no  Christian  in  contempt,  offis  ^ 
an  insult  to  none,  persecute  none,  injure  none,  and,  oi  |^ 
the  contrary,  thou  canst  honour  none,  do  a  kindness  to 
non^,  without  doing  it  to  God  himself.  HeiK:e,  Chriit 
himself  in  his  majesty  and  glory  will  rise  up  in  the  iMt 
day,  and  pronounce  this  his  sentence  both,  upon  the  just 
imd  upon  the  unjust,  "  Insomuch  as  ye  did  it  unto  the  ^ 
least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye  did  it  unto  me."  For  God  ?• 
has  given  all  things  unto  Uiis  his  Christ,  and  Christ  has  | 
given  them  all  to  his  spouse.  Unto  him  every  Christivit^ 
deaves^  like  a  limb,  aiid  all  is  ccmoected  togiejtber  ais  ^  '^ 


107 

links  of  a  chain ;  out  of  which  union,  is  fotmed  a  beau- 
tiful whole,  or  rather,  is  woven  a  fair  garland. 

• 

That  the  world  may  believe  that  thou  hast  sent  me* 

This  is  the  fruit  that  follows  from  such  an  union: 
namely,  that  the  Word  of  Christ  breaks  forth,  and  being 
spread  far  and  Vi^ide  throughout  the  world,  is  there 
received  as  the  Word  of  God ;  in  which  arq  contained 
an  almighty,  divine,  and  invincible  power,  and  a  never- 
failing  fountain  of  all  grace  and  blessedness.  This  is,  as 
I  have  said  again  and  again,  that  most  excellent  of  all 
knowledge,  which  is  so  deeply  hidden  and  so  rare,  and 
which  can  never  bfe  folly  learnt ;  and  therefore  it  is,  that 
Christ  makes  motion  of  hardly  aay  thing  else,  and  re- 
peats it  in  sdmost  every  word  he  speaks;  for  it  never 
etftered  into  the  mind  and  heart  of  any  man,  that  he 
diould  go  entirely  out  of  himself,  and  account  all  his 
own  things  naught  that  he  either  knows  or  can  do,  and 
should  creep  into  the  righteousness,  sanctification,  and 
wisdi^ih  of  Christ,  as  contained  iiiv  and  fnad|3  known  by, 
Ad  Weak  preaching  of  his  Word, 

And,  this  I  afiirm  in  truth,  and  declare,  yea,  by  the 
telvation  of  my  own  soul, — that  there  are  in  this  day 
very  few  preachers  and  writers  indeed,  of  all  that  I  hav6 
ever  heard  or  known,  (and  they  consider  themselves  to 
be  the  bestj)  who  truly  understa:nd  any  thing  of  this 
iHatter.  And  although  they  do  sometimes  guess  at 
iKmiediing  of  it,  or  get  hold  of  here  and  there  an  idea  by 
conjectare,  yet  tliiey  speak  of  it  as  though  they  had  heard 
mA  were  talking  of  dreams.  They  know  indeed  how 
to  lash  and  cut  to  pieces  with  abuse  the  Pbpe  and  the 
ttMks,  aild  their  priests,  but  they  know  nothing  by 
€!ltM^etice  of  those  futtdamental  grounds  upon  whicn 
|)dpery  is  to  be  subverted,  and  all  its  erroneous  doctrines 
lefoted.  Wherefore,  I  feel  it  my  duty  to  admoMsh  the 
iiDre  diligentiy,  that  we  studiously  learn  and  throughly 
iWSi^  these  words  and  the  whole  of  this  chapter-  F015 
I  know  not,  that  the  sum  of  the  whole  Christian  doctrine 
iV';80  coptoosly  and  fully  handled,  and  asserted  in  such 
pikiMffiA  words,  in  any  other  place,-^namely,  ^  that  we 

-I  2 


t 


108 

have  all  things  in  Christ  that  we  have  need  of,  and  have 
nothing  in  ourselves  or  in  any  other  man,  but  all  in 
Christ  only.  The  words  themselves  indeed  are  common 
and  simple :  and  this  is  the  reason  that  the  wise  so  neg- 
ligently pass  over  and  despise  them,  as  though  they  were 
such  as  boys  would  tread  under  their  feet.  And  there- 
fore, being  carried  away  elsewhere  by  their  dreams  and 
cogitations,  they  fill  every  corner  of  the  world  with  their 
futile  commentaries. 

And  the  glory  which  thou  gavest  me,  8gc. 

Behold,  what  a  length  of  time  he  dwells  upon  this 
same  thing,  and  how  much  he  desires  jus  and  persuades  us 
to  esteem  it  as  the  greatest  and  most  necessary  doctrine, 
which  is  the  most  full  of  consolation  of  all  that  are 
delivered  to  us.  '  I  have  given  them  (saith  he)  my  glory^:' 
that  is,  a  thing  great  and  magnificent,  exceedmg  all 
majesty  and  honour,  and  precious,  not  for  the  abundan,ce 
of  its  riches  and  the  profusion  of  its  treasures  only,  but  to 
be  truly  and  sacredly  praised  and  extolled  :  for  the  scrip- 
tures call  "  glory,"  not  that  celebrated  fame  and  mag- 
nificent appearance  and  splendour  only,  but  those  things 
which  are  worthy  of  great  praise  and  to  be  most  highly 
prized. 

But  what  is  that  glory  which  Christ  has,  and  gives  ? 
Even  that  of  which  he  spoke  just  before,  "  that  they  all 
may  be  one,  as  the  Father  and  I  are  one."    This  is  that 
excellent  and  precious   treasure  and  fountain,  and  so, 
that  inexhaustible  mine  of  all  the  divine  benefits,  life,  ; 
consolation,  and  blessedness,  if  the  man  do  but  believe.  ^ 
This  faith,  however,  is  not  an  idle  empty  cogitation,  but.| 
a  living,  serious,  consolatory,  and  undoubting  confidence 
in  the  heart  of  the  man,  that  he  shall  obtain  this  glory 
whereby  we  are  made  one  with  Christ,  and  so,  through 
him,  one  with  the  Father  also  :  and  so  one,  that  as  Christ 
cannot  be  divided  and  separated  from  the  Father,  so 
much  less  can  Christianity,  or  any  one  Christian  member, 
be  separated  from  Christ. 

But,  whence  does  this  glory  proceed  whereby  we  are 
all  made  one  in  the  Father  and  in  Christ?   It  certainly. 


} 


109 

does'ndt  proceed  from  our  own  meritsj  nbr  is  it  procured 
by  human  works  and  powers,  but  it  is  brought  unto  us/ 
bestowed  upon  us,  and  freely  given  to  us,  by  Christ.  For, 
as  to  works,  they  only  cause  sects,  and  make  divisions ; 
wherein,  one  pursues  this  work  and  another  that ;  even 
as,  in  an  external  life  and  community,  there  must  be 
various  offices  and  conditions,  each  one  doing  his  own 
work.  But,  by  the  Word  we  are  all  made  one  in  one* 
faith:  and  by  that  faith  we  become  one  spiritual  body, 
although  the  works  of  each  member  be  not  the  same. 
Even  as,  in  our  natural  body,  there  are  many  and  dis- 
tinctly different  operations,  each  member  performing  its 
own  function,  and  no  one  member  exercising  the  func- 
tion of  ,.another ;  and  yet,  all  the  members  are  united  in 
one,  and  in  one  mutual  participation  of  all  good.  For 
the  weakest  and  most  infirm  member  is  equally  of  the 
same  flesh  and  blood,  and  enjoys  the  same  health  and 
life,  as  the  strongest  and  most  noble  member.  And  yet, 
the  operation  of  each  separate  member  tends  mutually 
to  serve  all  the  other  members,  and  the  whole  body ;  and 
one  member  always  helps  another.  And  so  also  it  is 
here :  faith  collects  and  concentrates  all  the  works  and 
makes  them  one.  All  the  hearts  therefore  hang  on 
Christ  and  the  Father  by  faith,  and  all  things  that  they 
do  or  hope  for,  flow  from  this  faith. 

That  they  be  made  perfect  in  one. 

Here  again    he  melodiously  harps  upon  the  same  , 
string:  in  which  he  seems  so  to  delight,  as  though  he 
knew  not  what  else  to  speak  of:  and  yet  the  words  seem 
to  sound  so  childishly  to  the  judgment  of  reason,  that,\ 
(to  say  without  fear  what  I  have  so  often  said  before,)  I 
never  read  any  book  where  the  words  were  so  simple,- 
and  yet  contained,  in   that   plainness  and   simplicity, 
matter  so  important  and  unspeakable.    It*is  not  enough, 
(saith  he,)  that  they  be  one,  but  they  must  be  "  made 
perfect  in  one."    As  though  he  had  said,  I  have  some 
Christians  who  must  all  be  made  and  become  one;  but 
there  is  a  deficiency,  arising  from  many  of  them  being 
yet  weak.    The  unity  of  essence  is  indeed  effected,  but  it 


(Stands  only  in  faith ;  and  as  mudi  as  there  h  of  faith,  so 
much  is  there  of  perfection — *  Therefore  he  prays  the 
Father,  that  they  may  be  made  perfect,  may  grow  more 
strong  in  their  begun  faith,  and  may  be  made  one  per- 
fectly in  Christ.  In  the  same  manner  Paul  also  speaks, 
Gol.  ii.  *'  Ye  are  complete  in  him  :"  that  is,  ye  have  an 
overflowing  abundance  in  Christ,  nor  have  ye  need  to 
seek  any  thing  more  elsewhere. 

Hence,  he  that  hath  Christ  is  said  to  be  perfect :  that 
is,  he  has  a  full  and  perfect  treasure  of  all  the  blessings 
that  the  mind  can  think  worth  craving  or  desiring :  which 
are,  eternal  life,  righteousness,  wisdom,  and  all  divine 
blessings :  nor  does  such  a  man  want  any  thing,  but  a 
taking  heed  to  persevere  in  holding  fast  these  things 
unto  the  end.  The  treasure  is  present  with  us,  atod 
collected  together  into  one  place ;  but  the  vessel  is  weak; 
-  for  which  cause,  we  cannot  hold  it  fast  so  perfectly  as 
we  ought ;  for  we  carry,  as  Paul  saith,  2  Cor.  iv.  "  This 
treasure  in  earthen  vessels."  On  that  account,  therefore, 
we  are  to  labour  daily  in  unceasing  prayer,  continaal 
preaching,  and  much  admonition,  and  to  fight  agtiihsk 
all  opposition  atid  temptations,  that  we  lose  n6t  i^  grlBat 
and  precious  a  treasure,  nor  give  the  devil  an  occasion  (A 
opportunity  of  plucking  it  out  of  our  hands,  (which  is 
what  he  is  ever  aiming  at  with  all  his  powers ;)  but  that 
we  take  the  more  earnest  heed  to  guard  and  hold  it  fast, 
and  shun  no  peril  for  such  a  treasure's  sake. 

And  that  the  world  may  know  that  thou  hast  sent  me. 

There  are  two  things  that  he  especially  dwells  on  in 
this  chapter.  The  one,  that  we  who  have  come  to  the 
faith  by  the  preaching  of  the  slpostles,  and  those  who 
sh^l  be  brought  to  the  same  faith  daily,  should  by  that 
faith  become  "  one*"  The  Other,  that  by  this  unity,  it 
might  become  known  to  the  world,  that  Christ  was  s^t 
by  the  Father,  and  that  we  are  loved  by  him.  For  in 
these  two  things,  namely,  the  Word  and  faith,  stand  the 
whole  matter :  and  be  that  loses  these,  Ibses  all :  nor  is 
•there  any  counsel  or  help  remaining  for  him,  nor  any 
coi^^plation :'  no  n^ral  probity  can  a^vai)  him  any  thing: 


Ill 

•tt'woriBS,  and  dl  l^  liowever  blflmelessly  sprat,  an 
vain :  aH  umty  is  taken  away,  Christ  is  lost,  and  neithdi 
the  knowledge  of  the  Word  nor  of  the  Father  can  h6 
attained  unto.  And,  in  a  word,  the  light  is  gone,  and  the 
way  cannot  be  found  by  reason  of  darkness,  but  we  are 
carried  away  into  by-paths,  while  the  devil  purees  us  at 
his  pleasure;  for  this  I  have  sufficiently  experienced 
myself,  and  that  to  my  own  sorrow. 

And  hast  loved  them  as  thou  hast  loved  me. 

Thi^  is  what  ought  to  flow  from  the  knowledge  of 
the  Father  and  of  the  Word — that  our  hearts  may,  with 
gladness  and  without  a  doubt,  be  enabled  to  say,  that  we 
are  the  children  of  God  and  have  a  propitious  Father. 
For  it  is  the  peculiar  office  of  Christ,  to  knake  us  fully 
assured  by  his  Word,  that  we  may  promise  to  ourselves 
all  the  love  and  grace  of  God ;  even  that  love  wherewith 
he  loved  Christ  his  only  begotten  Son  from  the  foundation 
of  the  world ;  so  that^  it  may  be  called  the  love  in  Christ, 
and  through  Christ ;  and,  in  a  word,  that  inestimable  and 
eternal  love,  which  is  comprehensible  by  no  heart  of 
man ! — B^old !  This  is  the  wonderful  and  ineffable 
glory  which  is  freely  givai  us  in  Christ ;  but  in  the  Word 
and  faith  only,  until  we  get  into  the  full  enjoymept  of  it 
in  the  life  to  come ;  as  now  follows — 

Father,  I  will  that  they  also  whom  thou  hast  given  me,  S^c. 

This  is  the  last  part,  but  of  all  the  most  consolatory, 
of  this  prayer  for  all  that  depend  on  Christ ;  whereby, 
we  are  rendered  certain  and  assured  of  that  which  we 
are  brought  to  expect — that  we  shall  have  a  rest,  and 
sure  and  peaceable  habitations  and  mansions;  seeing 
that  here,  in  the  world,  we  are  exiles  and  live  in  utter 
-banishment,  having  no  certain  dwdling-place.  For  we 
have  before  heard,  that  the  Christian  must  willingly  part 
with  all  the  favour,  the  attentions,  the  applause,  the 
benevolence,  and  the  protection  of  men,  and  all  the  ease 
and  quiet  of  this  life,  and  be  prepared  to  receive  the 
darts  of  the  devil,  to  be  every  hour  in  peril  of  his  life, 
and  every  hour  expecting  death.^^-Now,  death  k  a  most 


lis 

awful  and  terrible  thing,  especially  where  the  man  has 
it  continually  before  his  eyes,  not  knowing  what  step  to 
taJke  next,  nor  where  to  pass  the  night.  Therefore^ 
Christ  performs  the  ofiice  of  a  faithful  and  kind  Saviour, 
and  has  a  care  over  us  in  providing  for  us  a  place  of 
rest  and  safety ;  saying,  that  we  shall  be  and  shall  live 
with  him,  and  shall  enjoy  the  same  happiness  and 
blessedness  which  he  himself  has  with  the  Father* 

What  he  would  say  is  this — Be  of  good  cheer ;  *  be 
not  troubled  abojit  where  ye  are  to  abide,  or  to  what 
place  ye  are  to  go.  Let  the  devil  and  the  world  roar 
and  rage  against  you,  by  destroying  you,  by  burning 
you,  and  by  exterminating  you  from  oft*  the  face  of  the 
earth.  There  is  one  who  holds  a  most  watchfiil  care 
over  you,  that  ye  may  arrive  in  safety  in  the  place  tliat 
ye  desire;  where  ye  shall  be  safe  and  secure  from  the 
world  and  all  devils,  and  shall  live  in  the  most  perfect 
rest  and  tranquillity  ! ' — And  where  is  that  place  ?  and 
what  is  its  name  ? — "  Where  I  am,"  saith  he :  that  is, 
in  the  arms  and  bosom  of  the  Father :  to  which  place, 
all  the  angels  shall  be  ready  to  convey  us.  The  place 
indeed  has  no  certain  name,  nor  does  it  permit  itself  to 
be  pointed  out  by  the  finger,  or  even  to  be  described, 
but  it  is  to  be  conceived  of  from  the  Word  by  faith  ! 

This  scripture  therefore,  we  ought  to  use  as  a  sup- ,  \ 
port  and  pillow  for  our  souls;  and,  securely  resting  \ 
thereon,  to  depart  with  joy  when  the  wished-for  moment 
shall  arrive,  wherein  we  are  to  be  delivered  from  sin 
and  every  evil,  and  moreover  from  the  tyranny  of  the 
world  and  the  power  of  the  devil,  and  to  be  taken  away 
into  eternal  rest !  .   ^ 

But  it  has  already  been  more  than  once  shewn, 
whom  Christ  means  by  these  words,  "  whom  thou  hast 
given  me;"  namely  us,  (to  whom  they  administer 
the  greatest  consolation,)  Mho  hold  fast  his  Word,  and 
especially  when  the  storms  of  temptations  increase,  and 
when  the  world  tries  us  and  loads  us  with  shame  for  the 
Word's  sake,  and  spoils  us  of  all  our  goods:  for  then, 
we  ought  boldly  to  take  to  ourselves  these  promises,  and . 
not  to  have  the  least  doubt  that  Christ  will  receive  us 


lis 

iilt0..hi8  ^oiy,  ahboqgh  we  be  still  8iiuier3»  filled  with 
wmxh  weakness,  and  covered  with  many  defects.  For 
these  words  are  spoken  to  us  who  are  upon  earth,  and 
now  live  in  flesh  and  blood,  and  not  to  the  angels  who 
are  in  heaven,  nor  to  the  saints  who  are  dead  and 
buried. 

But  this  word,  "  I  will^"  is  to  be  especially  con- 
sidered ;  for  he  uses  an  authority  with  the  Father,  as 
one  who  was  unwilling  to  be  refused ;  in  order  that,  the 
promise  might  be  the  more  sure,  as  being  of  one  who . 
could  not  lie.  And  why  is  this  ?  that  he  might  awaken 
and  stir  up  us  who  are  slothful  and  slow  of  heart  to 
believe,  that  we  might  not  fall  into  any  hesitation  or 
doubt,  but  might  be  as  certain  of  these  things,  as  though 
we  saw  them  plainly  before  our  eyes. 

That  they  may  behold  my  glory  which  thou  hast 
given  me. 

My  Christians  shall  be  brought  to  that  state  of 
felicity,  that  they  shall  not  only  be  where  I  am,  but 
shall  be  brought  into  an  open  vision  of  my  glory :  con- 
cerning which,  he  thus  spoke  before  in  other  words, 
'*  The  glory  which  thou  gavest  me  I  have  given  them." 
For  here  upon  earth  we  know  that  glory  by  faith  only, 
and  do  not  see  it,  "  but  (as  Paul  saith,  1  Cor.  xiii.) 
through  a  glass  darkly : "  namely,  as  far  as  we  hear  it 
taught  in  Ae  ministry,  and  embrace  it  in  our  minds : — 
that  Christ  arose  from  the  dead,  that  he  ascended  into 
heaven,  and  sits  in  the  majesty  and  glory  of  the  Father, 
and  is  the  one  Almighty  Lord  of  all  creatures.  But  of 
these  things  our  knowledge  is  still  obscure,  like  the  sun 
when  overcast  by  a  cloud.  For  the  greatness  of  this 
glory,  it  never  entered  into  the  heart  of  man  to  conceive, 
nor  can  it  be  comprehended  by  the  human  mind  ;  even 
as  Christ  himself  shews,  that  it  is  quite  the  contrary 
with  us.  But,  in  the  life  to  come,  another  light  will 
shine ;  where  we  shall  no  more  believe,  nor  preach,  nor 
attend  to  hearing  the  Word,  but  shall  be  in  the  pre- 
sence of  Christ,  and  shall  see  him  openly  before  us,  and 
be  filled  thereby  with' joy  and  pleasure  unspeakable ! 


114 


u 


This  is  that  consolation  unheard  of  and  nnuttefabk; 
in  which,  if  any  one  truly  believes,  he  will  not  omA  }i 
want  the  honours  of  this  frail  life,  nor  the  dignities,  tbe 
riches,  or  the  kingdoms  of  the  whole  world ;  hut  will^ 
with  a  willing  mind,  set  at  nought  the  whole  of  it 
together.  What  benefit  then  can  the  world  confer  upon 
us,  either  by  its  honours  which  will  be  lost,  or  its  life 
which  will  be  taken  away  ?  excepting  that,  it  may  be  to 
us  an  occasion  of  our  coming  the  earlier  unto  Christ, 
and  the  sooner  unto  the  vision  of  his  glory ;  in  compa- 
rison with  which,  all  the  riches  and  magnificence  of  die 
world  are  mere  filth.  But,  the  matter  is,  we  are  so 
frigid  and  slow  of  heart  to  believe  :  whence  it  comes  to 
pass,  that  we  feel  not  the  consolation,  the  power,  and 
the  virtue  of  these  words. 

Moreover,  the  magnitude  of  this  glory,  (as  we  have 
already  observed,)  is  greater  than  can  be  embraced  by 
the  confined  conceptions  of  the  human  heart.  For  it  is . 
far  above  all  sense,  and  far  exceeds  all  human  intellect, 
-^that  we  poor  miserable  creatures  are  to  be  brought 
to  that  place,  wljere  we  shall  for  ever  behold  before  oar 
eyes  so  great  and  so  unknown  a  majesty  of  the  divine 
glory:  and  moreover,  that  my  body  and  thine,  which 
must  rot  under  the  earth  and  be  eaten  by  the  woraas, 
shall,  by  the  power  of  this  glory,  be  made  to  shine,  fai^ 
yedk  far  brighter  than  the  sun  and  the  stars.  For  all 
these  things  will  the  vision  of  this  glory  bring  with  it| 
and  also  all  those  glorious  things  which  we  shall  enjoy 
throughout  an  eternal  life  and  blessedness :  which  things, 
no  man  can  conceive  in  thought^  nor  find  eloquence  to 
express ! 

For  thou  lovedst  me  before  the  fomidation  of  the 
toorld. 

They  shall  see  this  glory,  that  they  may  know  that 
I  am  the  Son ;  not  as  sent  into  the  world,  and  born  of  a 
virgin,  but  as  thine  only  Son  whom  thou  hast  loved 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world :  that  is,  that  I  am 
equally  with  thee,  the  one  God,  and  begotten  from 
everlasting.    For  God  could  not  love  him  more,  than 


115 

hg  giving  him  Hn  equal  and  eteraal  divinity.  All  th^ 
things  are  now  preached  and  believed,  but" they  are  still 
seen  throu^  a  glass  darkly,  and  do  not  shine  forth  in 
all  their  splendour.  Therefore,  they  are  diligently  to  be 
declared  and  set  forth  by  the  Word,  (as  Christ  himself 
had  hitherto  done,)  until  the  veil  be  taken  away,  and  we 
behold  them  openly,  and  face  to  face. 

O  righteous  Father,  the  world  hath  not  known  thee. 

This  is  a  very  necessary  appendix,  and  a  word  most 
worthy  of  notice,  wherein  he  turns  his  eyes  to  the  world, 
and  with  an  ardent  concern  says,  *  Alas !  my  most  beloved 
Father,  with  what  obstinacy  does  the  world  reject  all 
admonition  and  preaching,  and  disdain  to  hear  my 
words ! '  But,  why  does  he  here  for  the  first  time  only 
begin  to  praise  the  Father,  by  addressing  him  in  this 
appellation,  O  righteous  Father  ?  and  does  not  rather 
say,  O  kind  and  merciful  Father  ?  or,  as  he  did  before, 

0  holy  Father?  Or,  what  is  the  importance  of  this 
matter  of  which  he  is  speaking,  and  upon, which  he 
spends  such  words  ?    Who  did  not  know  this  before  ? — 

1  answer :  Christ  in  the  same  hour,  in  which  he  spoke 
these  words,  burned  in  his  heart,  and  looked  back  upon 
the  world,  which  would  not  by  any  means  endure  the 
Word ;  but  raged  the  more  against  it,  the  more  it  was 
preached.    Whereas,  it  ought  to  have  been  willing  to 

#nin  to  the  feiids  of  the  world  to  obtain  such  a  Word ;  or 
rather,  to  have  sought  it  earnestly  with  bended  knees; 
s^d  not  to  have  despised  it  ungratefully,  when  thus 
gratuitously  offered ;  nor  to  have  returned  its  preachers 
every  injuiy  as  their  reward  and  thereby  procured  unto 
themselves  the  desert  of  divine  indignation  and  eternal 
punishment  For  they  will  not  receive  the  Word  when 
freely  offered  and  give  thanks  for  it,  but  persecute  it  with 
the  utmost  hatred,  most  maliciously  blaspheme  it,  and 
most  insultingly  lacerate  it :  so  that  Christ  is  compelled 
to  say,  thou  art  indeed  a  righteous  God,  and  doest 
righteously  and  justly  in  making  that  distinction  between 
the  world  and  those  whom  thou  hast  given  me :  tliat  is, 
\tk  separating  these  and   bringing  them  unto  me,  that 


116 

they  may  be  with  me  where  I  am ;  and  in  cuttmg  away 
those  *as  they  deserve,  and  leaving  them  to  rush  head- 
long to  destruction  as  being  such  whom  no  counsel  or 
help  can  profit. 

The  same  glorying  we  also  are  to  have  against 
the  world,  when  we  offer  unto  them  the  gospel  clearly 
and  fully ;  and  especially,  when  we  have  diligently  per- 
formed all  things  that  pertain  unto  the  declaring  of  it, 
and  have  omitted  nothing  either  in  preaching,  admonish- 
ing, exhorting,  loving,  serving,  bearing,  alarming,  and 
threatening;  and  moreover,  by  suffering  and  pardon- 
ing all  things,  and  by  praying  for  them;  and,  in  a 
word,  by  trying  all  those  things  which  we  considered  to 
be  useful  unto  their  conversion. — We  leave  I  say  no 
stone  unturned,  we  spare  no  pains  and  labour,  we  pay 
no  regard  to  expenses  or  perils,  and  yet  have  met  with 
no  other  reward  than  ingratitude,  contempt,  ignominy 
and  persecution  of  the  known  and  confessed  truth. 
What  then  can  any  one  say,  but  that  it  is  righteous,  and 
our  desert,  if  God  severely  reward  and  punish  such 
horrible  and  determinate  obstinacy  and  blasphemy,  by 
pestilence,  war,  Turkish  fury,  by  the  devil,  and  by 
unceasing  afflictions  of  every  kind ;  when  all  grace  and 
benefits  are  wholly  lost  upon  us,  and  no  goodness  can 
find  reception.  Indeed,  our  tempting  of  God  and 
ingratitude  exceed  all  bounds,  which  he  can  no  longer 
overlook ;  seeing  that,  he  has  poured  forth  himself  with  - 
a  full  hand,  (as  they  say,)  in  that  his  most  precious 
treasure  which  is  offered  unto  us ;  and  yet  he  is,  on  that 
account,  utterly  despised,  rejected,  and  spit  upon  by 
the  world,  and  his  Word  indignantly  trodden  ^nder 
foot. 

Therefore,  Christ  here  concludes  and  says,  dearest 
Father,  "  the  world  hath  not  known  thee,"  nor  does  it 
wish  to  know  thee,  even  though  thy  gospel  is  preached 
to  them  so  plainly,  and  declared  to  them  with  that 
clearness,  thet  they  cannot  turn  away  frpm  it  and  deny 
it  to  be  truth.  I  tell  and  deliver  to  them  all  things  that 
pertain  to  the  true  knowledge  of  God :  namely,  that 
nothing  avails  nor  can  avail  with  thee,  but  a  sole  and 


U7 

simple  trust  in  thy  grace  and  goodness  as  freely  given  ; 
and  moreover,  that  they  may  have  all  things  in  me.    But 
they  will  neither  patiently  hear  me,  nor  my  Word ;  as- 
serting, that  what  is  declared  by  me  is  nothing  at  all. 
They  will  Have   their  own   only,  their  own   wisdom, 
righteousness,  and  works  to  be  available,  and  will  approve 
themselves  unto  thee  by  trusting  in  these.     Therefore, 
thou  doest  justly,  O  righteous  Father,  in  leaving  them 
thus  hardened  in  their  blindness  to  go  over  to  their 
father  the  devil  by  whole  multitudes  together,  and  never 
to  know  or  see  any  thing  whatever,  either  of  my  glory, 
my  Word,  or  the  knowledge  of  faith,  by  any  view,  either 
in  this  world  or  in  that  which  is  to  come. 

But  I  have  known  theCj  and  these  have  known,  8gc. 

That  is,  I  am  fully  assured  that  I  teach  thy  Word, 
and  concerning  thee  only  as  the  one  true  God,  as  thou 
wouldst  be  honoured  and  believed  on ;  and  that  men 
may  laud  and  praise  thee  for  thy  grace  and  goodness ; 
which,  however,  the  world  do  not  receive,  but  impiously 
condemn  and  deliver  to  the  devil.  My  Christians,  how- 
ever, whom  thou  hast  given  me;  receive  that  grace  and 
goodness,  and  know  thee :  namely  thus — that  thou  hast 
sent  me  :  in  which,  as  has  been  maintained  throughout 
the  chapter,  the  whole  knowledge  of  the  Father  consists. 

And  I  have  declared  unto  them  thy  name,  Sgc, 

I  have  given  them  thy  Word,  by  which  they  have 
become  acquainted  with  thy  name — how  thou  art 
named,  what  thou  art,  and  how  thou  wilt  be  worship- 
ped and  honoured.  Even  as  we  have  already  abun- 
dantly shewn,  that,  to  know  the  Father,  is  not  only  to 
know,  how  he  formed  the  heaven  and  the  earth,  how 
he  helps  the  good,  how  he  punishes  the  wicked ;  but, 
that  he  sent  his  Son  into  the  world  and  gave  him  unto  us  ;- 
and  that  he  has  taken  away  death,  and  has  procured  for 
us  reconciliation  with  the  Father. — This  is  the  true  name 
of  God,  which  opens  to  us  his  mind  and  will,  and  dis- 
covers to  us  his  paternal  affection,  and  leaves  none  of 
his  thou|^ts  concerning  us  to  remain  hidden.     He  that 


IJ8 

knoweth  not  the  Father  thus,  knoweth  not  the  Father 
aright,  nor  does  he  know  how  he  is  to  be  worshipped. 
For  even  the  Heathens,  the  Jews,  and  the  Turk^  believe 
that  there  is  one  God,  the  creator  of  heaven  and  earth; 
nay,  they  boast  that  they  worship  the  only  true  God ; 
yet  they  believe  not,  neither  do  they  know,  that  the  true 
mind  and  will  and  good  pleasure  of  God,  is,  that  we 
know  Christ  as  sent  by  him  and  given  for  our  redemp*^ 
tion.  Yet,  neither  the  Pope  nor  any  of  his  sects  can  be 
persuaded  of  this ;  and  hence  it  is,  that  we  have  un* 
ceasingly  to  contend,  war,  and  fight  with  them  in  sup- 
port of  this  principal  article  and  sum  of  our  faith  and 
salvation. 

But  observe — Christ  does  not  only  say  "  I  have 
declared  unto  them  thy  name,"  but  adds,  "  and  will 
declare  it."  That  is,  I  will  not  be  content  with  having 
begun  to  manifest  thy  name,  but  will  go  on  to  make  it 
more  manifest,  and  will  urge  the  same  unceasingly  both 
by  the  Word  and  by  the  Spirit,  that  my  Christians  may 
not  seek  after  any  thing  else,  or  any  thing  more  great, 
but  may  be  occupied  in  this  one  thing,  that  thy  name 
may  become  the  more  illustrious^  and  that  they  may  the 
more  firmly  retain  it  in  their  minds.  And  it  is  ip  this 
that  the  whole  force  of  the  matter  rests — that  we  rightly 
know  the  Father  by  faith ;  that  our  hearts,  being  filled 
with  all  assurance  and  hope,  may  stand  before  him,  and 
have  no  fear  of  wrath  or  anger.  And,  according  to  my 
judgment,  there  is  not  a  more  difficult  point  to  arrive  at 
in  dl  heaven  and  earth.  Therefore,  let  no  one  fall  into 
the  thought  that  it  is  a  trifling  matter,  which  can  be  at- 
tained unto  in  a  short  time  without  any  great  trouble, 
and  may  be  understood  as  soon  as  heard ;  which  is  the 
way  in  which  our  unexperienced,  frothy  praters  are 
wont  to  talk. 

That  the  love  wherewith  thou  hast  loved  me,^  ^c. 

This  is  that  which  (as  I  have  said  before)  I  con- 
sider to  be  the  main  thing  to  be  attained  unto — that  we 
might  know  the  will  and  heart  of  Ae  Fftther;  here,  by 
the  Word  preached  unto  vi.§;  but  h^p^ilter,  in .  ^e  bfi 


119 

>me,  by  open  vision :  whereby  we  shall  behold  how 
)ved  us,  and  will  love  us  for  ever,  but  through  his 
Jesus  Christ  only.  When  we  attain  unto  this,  then 
[  we  be  in  possession  of  the  whole  treasure  of  our 
olation  and  salvation.  Then  shall  we  dwell  in  him 
he  in  us,  so  that  we  shall  remain  for  ever  united  in 
;  (of  which  we  have  treated  before  in  its  order.) 
f  Christ  our  Lord  preserve  and  confirm  us  in  this 
\  knowledge  of  his  Father,  and  in  the  unity  of  faith, 
I  the  day  of  his  appearing  in  glory.  To  whom,  with 
Father  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  be  honour,  praise  and 
y,  for  ever  and  ever,  Amen ! 


T9B 


CONSOLATORY 


TESSERADECAD 


or 


Msxtin  Untbtv 


ffOR  THX 


"  WEARY  AND  HEAVY  LADEN." 


-    WL  II, 


C      .       ...  \ft 


I  ^  • 


t  ■    •, 


I'. N'  •^.* 


1.      \     I 


«     r 
.    1 


-»        1 


EPISTLE   DEDICATORY. 


....  (         . 

Martin  Luthur,  to  his  most  ki^d  Sikb,  thb  il- 
QSTRious  Pringb  And  Lord  Frederic  Buke  of 

iXONY^  ArCHMARSHAL  AND  ELECTOR  OF  THE  SaCRED 

o^A'N  Empire,  LandgrAVb   Of   Thirrings^  and 

ARSHAL  OP  MiSNIJB. 

Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  our  Saviour,  has  left  us  a 
•nnnaiia  which  speaks  alike  to  all  ChristianSi  that  we 
ould  perform  offices  of  humanity,  or,  (as  the  scripture 
nns  them,)  ^*  labburs.6f  love,'*  linto  all  that  are  afflicted 
d  iH  distress,  that  we  should  ehdeavbtir  to  liberate  those 
lo  tire  iu  captivity,  and  to.  serVe  our  neighbour  in  all 
ose  tWngs  whereoy  his  present  troubles  may  in  some 
sasure  be  relieved. —And  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
eiwed  i^orth  in  himself  a  most  signal  example  of  this 

3  conlinand,  Wfien,  from  his  infinite  love  to  the  human 

•  •■■•'•■I'"  •" 

ce,  he  descended  from  the  bosom  of  the  Father  to  our 

■■'-.J*'  -*t"  %-'* 

lories  and  pHson,  that  is,  to  our  flesh,  and  to  this  our 
iserabie  hfe,'  and  took  the  •  punishment  of  our  sins 
xiii  himSelf/that  we  might  be  saved. 
\  If  this  signal  example  does  not  moye  a  man,  added 
•  'tiie  aiithority  Of  the  divine  cotmnand,^ — if  these  things, 
say,  do  not  move  a  man  to  perform  these  works  of 
>ve ;  such  an  one  will  deservedly  hear,  in  the  last  day, 
lis  sentence  , of  the  angry  judge,  *  Depart,  thou  ac- 
irsed,  into  eVferiasting  fire.  'For  I  was  sick  and  thou 
isitedst  itie  not.  'But,  with  the  deepest,  ingratitude,  for 
ll.tiiose  infinitely,  benefits  which  I  have  conferred  upon 
fee  and  the  whole  world,  thou  hast  not  assisted  thy 
rethrai,  J;€«  lather,  me  Christ  thy  God  and  Saviour  in 
[}y  brethren,  J^  perform  the  least  office  of  kindness/ 
Sirice4:h^CT0i^,'mbst  H^  Prince,,!  see  your 

tlij^e^  '^linlclng  uiider  a  severe' disease,  and  so,  Cnri?it 
iifckin^yoA,  i  thtttigy  it'&f  &uty' to  visit  y^^^ 


»• 


144 

with  some  production  of  my  pen.  For,  to  say  the  truth, 
I  hear  the  voice  of  Christ  odling  to  me  in-  the  body  and 
flesh  of  your  Highness,  and  saying,  Behold  here  one 
that  is  sick !  Fpr  it  is  not  we  Christianis  alone  that  suffer 
these  evils,  such  as  diseases  and  others,  but  Qur  Lord 
and  Saviour  Christ  himself,  in  whom  we  live ;  as  Christ 
plainly  testifies  in  the  Gospel.  "  Inasmuch  as  ye  have 
done  it  unto  the  least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye  have 
done  ft  unto  me,'*  Matt,  xxv,  40.  And,  altbou^  y/^ 
owe  this  duty  to.  all  in  general  who.  are  labouring.und^ 
sickpess  of;  body,— that  we  visit  aod,  cprnfort  them,  yet, 
we  owe  it  more  especially  to  the  "^  household  of  ikith.* 
For  Paul  clearly  distinguishes  betw^n  the  "household* 
and  ?trangers,^Gal.  vi.  10,  as  the  former  are  joined  tons 
bya  particular  bond. 

.  But,  1-  h;ave  also  other  reasons  for  the  performance 
of  this  my  duty.  For  I  feel  that  I,  as  one  of  the  sub- 
jects of  your  Highness,  ought  to  be  affected  with  this 
your  Highness's  sickness,  together  with  all  the  rest  of 
your  subjects,  and  as  it  were  to  be  in  pain  with  you  as 
a  metnber  with  the  head  ;  in  whom,  all  our  fortunes  and 
all  out  safety  and  happiness  are  placed.  For  we  ac- .  ^ 
knowledge  that  your  Highness  is  as  another  Naaman ;  ' 
and  that  God  at  this  day  accomplishes  by  you  the  safety 
of  Germany,  as  he  did  in  old  time  that  of  Syria  by 
Naaman.  Wherefore,  the  whole  Roman  Empire  turns 
its  eyes  to  your  Highness,  and  venerates  and  receives 
yoii  as  d  protecting  father,  and  as  the  honour  of  the 
whole  Empire,  and,  more  especially,  as  the  safeguard 
and  ornament  of  Germany. 

Nor  is  it  our  duty  to  comfort  your  Highness  only  as 
much  as  lies  in  our  power,  and  to  sympathize  with  you 
as  brethren,  in  this  your  present  calamity ;  but,  much 
more  particularly,  to  pray  unto  God  for  your  health  and 
safety ;  which  I  hope  is  done  continually  and  earnestly 
by  the  subjects  of  your  Highness.  And  1  acknowledge, 
for  my  part,  that  these  petitions^,  are  put  up  by  me, 
(that  Lmay  declare  my  gratitude  by  the  performance  of 
sq  important  a  duty),  as  being  one  whom  your  signal 
favo'brs  and  merits  have  made,  above  all  otl)ers,  a 


rs5 

And  as,  in  my  low  estate  of  ability  and  fortune,  I 
can  serve  you  in  nothing  great,  D.  George  Spaltinus, 
who  is  one  of  your  Highness's  private  co;mcil,  gave  me 
a  timely  word  of  advice  to  draw  up  something  by  way 
of  a  spiritual  consolation,  and  send  it  to  your  Iiighness; 
adding,  that  your  Highness  would  gratefully  receive 
such  an  attention.  Being  therefore  unwilling  to  refuse 
altogether  to  listen  to  the  advice  of  my  friend,  I  drew 
up  these  fourteen  heads,  and  set  them  forth  as  it 
were  on  a  tablet,  and  gave  them  the  name  of  Tessera- 
DECAD ;  that  they  may  serve  instead  of  the  fourteen 
saintSj  whom  our  superstition  has  made  and  called 
the  defenders  against  all  evil. 

TTiis,  however,  is  not  a  silver  tablet  but  a  spiritual 
one ;  designed,  not  to  adorn  the  walls  of  the  churches, 
but  to  raise  up  and  confirm  the  godly  mind ;  and  I  hope 
it  will  be  very  useful  to  your  Eughness  in  your  present 
trouble. — It  consists  of  two  parts.  The  former  contains 
seven  views  of  eviiy  by  the  consideration  of  which  our 
present  troubles  may  be  lightened.  The*  latter  sets 
forth  seven  views  of  good^  drai^n  up  for  the  same  pur-  / 
pose. — May  your  Highness  therefore  favourably  receive 
this  my  service,  (such  as  it  is),  and  so  profit  by  it,  that, 
after  an  attentive  reading  and  consideration  of  the  views 
set  forth,  you  may  find  some  small  part  of  it  to  suit 
your  case. — I  commend  myself  to  your  Highness  with 
all  submission. 

Your  subject, 

Martin  Luther. 


CONSOLAtlOKS 


FOB  THK 

«  WEARY  AND  HEAVY  LADEN. 


J9 


INTRODUCTION. 

The  Apostle  Paul,  Rom.  xv.,  when  about  to  set  forth 
be  consolations  of  Christians^ .  says,  "  Brethren,  what- 
oever  things  were  written  aforetime,  were  written  for 
ur  learning ;  that  we,  through  patience  and  comfort  of 
ie  scriptures  might  have  hope/'  Wherein,  hie  plainly 
bpws,  that  our  consolations  are  to  be  derived  from  the 
oly  scriptures.  » 

The  holy  ^riptures  administer  consplatloh  in  a  two-] 
>ld  way,  by  setting  before  us  two  views  of  tl^ngs,  that 
\,  of  evil  and  of  good^  tempered  together  with  a  most 
rholesoine  intermmdingr  as  the  wise  Preacher  saith,; 
'  In  the  day  of  evil  oe  mindful  of  the  good,  and  in  the 
ay  of  good  be  mindful  of  the  evil." — For  the  Holy 
Ipirit  knows^  that  every  thing  is  such  and  so  great  to  a 
nan,  as  it  appears  to  be  in  his  opinion ;  and  that,  that 
^hich  he  considers  to  be  trifling  and  a  thing  of  noa^t 
ittle  affects  him,  either  with  love  when  it  comes,  or 
rith  grief  when  it  is  taken  away.  Therefore,  the  ^^eat 
lesign  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  is,  to  call  men  ttway  from  the 
>pinion  and  sense  of  things.  And,  as  this  cdling  away 
s  more  especially  wrought  by  the  Word ;  by  wttich,  the 
)pinion  is  drawn  off  from  that  which  now  affects,  to 
hat  which .  is  either  not  present  or  does  not  now  affect  j 
it  is  in  all  things  right,  that  we  should  have  no  consok'- 
tion  but  by  the  scriptures ;  which,  ip  the  day  of  1^1,  call 
us  away  to  contemplate  the  good  that  is  either  present  or 
to  come ;  and,  in  the  day  of  good,  to  contemplate  the  evil. 

But,  that  we  thay  the  better  understand  these  two 
tiEws,  Of  9iG^HT9,  we  will  givc  to  EACH  fts  jierts, 


126 

smkhig  them  seven*  The  first  view  shall  contain  p 
the  EVILS  which  WQ  m^y  be  t<^templa|ing — ^I.  Within  V} 
us— II.  Before  us--lit  'Behind  iis— IV.  From  be-  P 
neath — V.  Near  us  on  our  left  hand — ^VI.  On  our  ri^  p 
Imnd — VII,  From  above. 


f    I 


PART  FIRST. 

VIEWS   OF  EVIL. 

VIEW  I. 


3 


h 


THE    EVILS   WITHIN   US. 

This  ,is  a  fixed  and  most  certain  truth,  whether  a  maa 
believe  it.  or  xiot,-^That  a  man  can  sufier  no  tortoie 
which  can  be  the  worst  of  the  evils  that  are  in  him.  And 
therefore,  there  are  far  more  and  greater  evils  in  him 
than  he.  can  feel.  For,  if  he  should  feel  all  his  own  evil 
he  would  feel  hell,  for  he  has  a  hell  in  himself.  Do  yon.  ^ 
ask  how  this  can  be  ?  the  Prophet  tells  you,  ^^  All  max 
are  liars/*  Ps.  cxvi*  And  again,  "  Every  man  living  is  al- 
together vanity,"  Ps.  xxxix.  And  to  be  a  liar  and  vamty, 
is  to  be  destitute  of  truth  and  reality ;  and,  to  be  desti- 
tute of  truth  and  reality,  is  to  be  without  God  and  to  be 
nothing :  and  to  be  thus,  is  to  be  in  hell  and  damned ! 

God,  therefore,  when  he  chastens  us,  discovers  unto 
us  and  lays  upon  us  only  a  small  part  of  our  evHs;  . 
knowing,  that  if  he  should  lead  a  man  into  a  knowledge 
of  his  whole  eviL  he  would  sink  in  a  moment.  But 
he.  has  given  soriie  to  taste  this  also :  concerning  whom 
it  is  said,  "  He  bringethdown  to  the  grave  and  bringem 
up,"  1  Sam.ii.  Therefore,  they  speak  rightly,  who  calf 
bodily  sufferings  certain  monitors  of  the  evil  within :  and 
the  Apostle,  Heb.  xii.  calls  them  the  fatherly  chastise- 
ments of  God,  saying,  "  he  scourgeth  every  son  whom 
he  receiveth:"  which  he  does,  that,  by  these  rods  ancl 
small  evils,  he  may  drive  out  those  great  evils,  that  we 
may  haveno  necessity  for  feeling  them ;  as  it  is  written 
Proverbs  xxii.,  ^^  Foolishness  is  bound  in  the  heart  of  a 


199 

lid,  but  the  rod  of  correction  shall  drive  it  out.**  And 
not  pious  parents  grieve  more  over  their  children  if 
y  be  thieves  or  vicious,  than  if  they  be  wounded ;  yea,- 
y  themselves  chasten  and  bruise  them  that  they  may 
t  be  vicious. 

What  is  it  then  that  prevents  our  real  evil  from 
ng  felt  ?  This,  I  say,  is  so  ordered  of  God ;  that  the 
in  may  not  wholly  sink  under  a  sight  of  all  the  depths 
his  evil..  For  God  keeps  thetn  hidden,  and  wills 
^m  to  be  known  only  by  faith,  while  he  gives  a  taste 
them  in  the  evil  that  is  felt — Therefore,  **  In  the  day 
evil  be  mindful  of  the  good : "  that  is,  consider  what 
70od  it  is  not  to  know  all  thy  evil :  be  mindful  of  this 
od,  and  thy  evil  will  not  so  much  distress  thee.  And 
again,  "in  the  day  of  good  be  mindful  of  the  evil:*" 
%t.  Uy  whilst  thou  art  free  from  distress  arising  from  thy 
il  evil?  be  grateful  for  this  freedom,  and  be  mindful  of 
8  real  evil :  then  it  will  be,  that  thou  wilt  the  less  feel 
e  sensible  eviL  It  is  evident,  therefore,  that  man 
vrays  has  in  this  life,  more  freedom  from  distress  than 
sti'ess  ;  not  because  the  whole  evil  is  not  present  with 
m,  but  because  there  is  not  the  opinion  and  feeling  of 
,  through  the  goodness  of  God  who  keeps  it  hidden. 

.Hence  we  see,  how  dreadfully  they  treat  themselves 
vfao  are  brought  to  see  their  true  evil,  and  how  careless '' 
ihey  are  of  what  they  suffer  throughout  their  whole  life, 
80  tha.t  they  feel  not  me  hell  within  them.  And  so  every 
one  would  do,  if  he  felt  or  truly  believed  the  real  evil 
4at  is  in  him : — ^he  would  voluntarily  seek  all  external 
evik,  and  would  find  relief  in  them :  and  would  never 
feel  himself  more  miserable,  than  when  not  surrounded 
with  such  evils  :  in  which  state  we  know  many  saints  to 
have  been  :  as  David  was,  Ps.  vi. 

Therefore,  the  Jirst  view  is  consolatory — for  a  man 
to  say  to  himself,  ^  O  man,  thou  dost  not  feel  all  thy 
evil :  be  glad,  therefore,  and  give  thanks,  that  thou  art 
not  compelled  to  feel  it :  and  then,  thy  present  evil, 
compared  with  the  great  and  infinite  evil  that  is  in  thee, 
will  be  light :  that  is,  thou  mayest  say,  as  some  say, 
*  I  deserve  far  worse  than  this,  yea,  hell  itself !'  ITiis  is, 
Wever,  easy  to  be  said,  but  is  intolerable  to  be  borne. 


ISO 

.  But,  although  this'^tjvii  lies  concealed,  yet  it  pro- 
duces fruits  sufficiently  sensible.— ^These  are,  the  dread 
and  trembling  of  a  fearful  conscience,  whose  faith  meets 
with  every  opposition,  while  the  man  knows  not,  or- 
remains  in  doubt,  whether  or  not  he  has  God  propitious 
towards  him :  and  these  fruits  are  the  more  bitter  the 
weaker  the  faith  is.  And  yet,  this  weakness  when 
rightly  considered,  seeing  it  is  spiritual,^  is  far  greater 
than  the  corporal  weakness:  which  latter  it  makes  to 
appear  very  light,  when  the  just  comparison  is  drawn. 

Moreover,  all  that  tragedy  which  the  Preacher  de- 
scribes pertains  to  the  internal  evil,  where  he  makes  so 
much  mention  of  vanity  and  affliction  of  spirit.  For, 
how  many  purposes  do  we  form  in  Vain !  How  many  of 
6ur  expectations  fall  to  the  ground;!  How  nllany  things 
do  we  see  and  hear  that  we  would  aot!  And  even 
those  things  which  turn  out  according  to  oiir  wishes 
turn  out  against  our  wishes  also :  and  therefore,  therie 
is  nothing  right  or  happy  perfectly.  And  more- 
over, all  these  things  are  by  so  much  the  greater,  the 
more  exalted  a  man  is  in  station  and  rank^  for  he  that 
is  highly  exalted  must  of  necessity  be  agitated  with  far 
more  and  greater  tides,  billows,  and  st<:ttins,  than  Oi&iets 
who  are  labouring  under  the  same  burdens.  So  that 
the  104th  Psalm,  says  rightly^ — tfiat  there  are  in  this  sea 
of  the  world  animals  weak  and  strong,  small  and  great 
innumerable:  that  is,  an  infinite  variety  of  trials  and 
temptations :  and  hence  Job  vii.  calls  this  life  of  man  a 
trial  or  temptation. 

•And  these  evils  do  not  the  less  exist  because  they 
are  the  less  felt;  but  because,  by  the  kind  management' 
of  God,  they  become  by  use  and  habit  less  alarming,-  and 
our  opinion  and  feeling  of  them  less  sensible.  Therefore, 
those  evils  more  particularly  distress  us,  which  we  have 
not,  by  an  acquaintance  with  them;  learnt  to  disregard. 
Asxd  therefore  it  is  true,  that  we  feiel  scarcely-  the 
thousandth  part  of  our  real  evil.  And  hence  again  it  is^ 
truej  that  our  evils  are  rated,  and  felt  or  not  felt,  not 
according  to  their  reality  of  existence,  but  according^to 
our  opinion  and  feeling. : 


131 


VIEW  II. 

OF'  FUTVftJB  evil:   OR,  THE  EVIL  BEFORE  US. 

It  will  tend  in  no  small  degree  to  ligfiten  the  present 
evil,  whatever  it  may  be,  iif  ti^ou  turn  thy  thou^ts  to. 
future  evils ;  which  are  such,  so^  many,  and  so  ffe^^. 
that,  to  this  one  consideration,  is  attributed,  that  great^i, 
of  all  sensations  called  fear :  which  many  have  define^ 
to  be  •  a  sensation  concerning  an  evil  to  come  :  as  thei 
apostle  saith,  Rom.  xi.,  ^^  Be  not  high  minded  but  fecMT.". 
This  evil  is   the  ^eater,  because,  it  remains  in  *u^r; 
certainty  what,  or  how  gr^at,  the  future  evil  n^y  be; 
according  to  the  trite  proverb :    '  There  is  no  age  exepipt- 
from  disease  :*  (which,  nevertheless,  is  but  a  trifling  apd 
puerile  evil  as  it  were :)  and  so  also,  no  one  man  ii9| 
exempt  from  tibie  evils  th^t  befal  anpther :  but,  whatever 
one  man  suffers  another  may .  suffer  also. .    / 
.     This  is  proved  by  all  the  Ijustqries  ai^d  tarfi^  evi^At^ 
of  all  agei^  and  by  all  the  cpmplamts  ojf  th^^  whple,  jWQrldp.; 
The  same  also  is^  provefd  by  the  ob^ryatipps  dt  m^y-rr. 
that  there  are  more  than  three  hundred  kinds  of  ^fis^^ai^es^ 
by  which  the  human  body  is  afflict^    And,  if  therQ,  fijie. 
so  many  diseases,  how  many  other  different  events  /^o, 
you  suppo^  |tbere.may  be  of  circiunstances,  of  frieQda,. 
and  also  of  the  mind,  which.is  more  especially  ^subjeptedf 
to  all  evik,  and  more  particularly  the  recipient ,  of  .^prr" 
row  and  addiction ?  .,>    / 

Aild  here  again  the  powe^  j^fod  •  secisation  oi^^ea^) 
evils  increase  in  proportion,  the  Mgher  and  more  ex^tBd 
the  person  is  in  station*  For  ^,^  in  an  exalted  8]al^OD,r 
want,  disgrace,  and  all  indignities  may  happen  the  inoi3e> 
suddenly,  seeing,  that  all,  things  hang  by<.  a  slender 
thread ;  so,  all  tnings  are .  there  ta  be  feared ;  }ike  that: 
sword  which  £)ionysius  suspefid^  over  the  head  of  hi» 
guest. 

And  if  any  one  of  these  evils  happen  not^  it  i^  to  be 
considered  a  blessing,  and  no  small  consolatipn  und^. 
that  evil  which  may  be  present :  and  you  n^ay ,  uhder 


152 

such  circumstances,  say  with  Jeremiah,  '^  It  is  of  the 
Lord's  mercies  that  we  are  not  consumed."  Lam.  iil 
For  whatever  of  thdse  evils  happens  not,  it  is  throu^ 
the  protecting  hand  of  the  Most  High ;  which  com- 
passes  us  about  with  so  much  might,  (as  is  exemplified 
in  Job  i.)  that  Satan  and  all  evils  are  compelled  to  stand 
•and  rage,  that  they  have  no  power  over  us.  Hence  we 
sea)  how  sweetly  the  Lord  ought  to  be  loved  under  the 
daily  evils  that  come  upon  us :  because,  under  any  one 
evil,  our  most  loving  Father  calls  upon  us  to  consider, 
how  many  evils  surround  us,  and  would  fall  upon  us, 
were  it  not  for  his  protecting  hand :  as  if  he  said  unto, 
us^  *  Satan  and  a  whole  chaos  of  evils  are  ready  to  rush 
upon  thee,  that  they  may  grind  thee  to  powder,  but  I 
have  set  the  bounds  of  the  sea,  and  have  said  unto  it, 
'^  Hitherto  shalt  thou  come  but  no  further,  and  here 
shall  thy  proud  waves  be  stayed," '  Job  x'xxviii. 

And,  supposing  that  none  of  these  evils  should  be&I 
thee,  (God  so  willing,)  yet  death,  that  greatest  and  ixiost 
terrible  of  all  evils,  will  most  surely  come ;  and  notbing 
is  more  uncertain  than  the  hour  when.  And  death  is 
an  evil  so  great,  that  we  may  see  many  men,  who  would 
rather  live  amidst  all  the  fore-mentioned  evils,  than  have 
them  brought  to  an  end  and  meet  death  once.  And 
only  look  around  and  see  how-  many  meditations,  how 
many  books,  how  many  methods,  how  many  remedies- 
there  are  published  to  the  world,  with  the  design  of  de- 
terring men  from  sin  by  fixing  on  their  minds  the  me- 
mory of  this  one  evil !  All  these  represent  the  world  as 
contemptible,  all  sufferings  and  troubles  light,  and  all 
afflictions  trifling,  in  comparison  of  this  great,  horrible, 
yet  necessary,  evil !  And  there  is  no  one  who  would 
not  rather  undergo  every  other  evil,  if  he  could  thereby 
escape  the  evil  of  death.  This  evil  the  saints  also  have 
feared :  and  this  Christ  underwent  in  the  midst  of  terror 
and  bloody  sweat.  And  therefore,  the  divine  m^cy  is 
more  careml  to  comfort  the  poor  and  miserable  affluust* 
this,  than  against  any  other  evil :  as  we  shaU  see 
hereafter. 

And  all  these  evils  are  common  to  dl  men.     But  there 


133 

»  in  Christians,  a  new  cause  for  fearing  foture  evil : 
cause  peculiar  to  themselves,  and  which  far  exceeds 
I  the  evils  that  have  been  mentioned.  It  is  that  which 
e  apostle  paints  forth,  I  Cor.  x.  where  he  says,  "  Let 
tn  that  standeth  take  heed  lest  he  fall." — So  slippery 
the  way,  and  so  powerful  is  the  adversary,  who  is 
med  wiUi  our  own  powers  for  weapons,  (that  is,  with 
e  powerful  lusts  of  the  flesh,  and  all  corrupt  affections,) 
id  attended  hy  all  the  infinite  forces  of  the  world,  its 
li^ts  and  its  pleasures  on  the  right  hand,  and  with  all 
e  bitter  and  perverse  wills  of  men  on  the  left ;  and 
L  this,  in  addition  to  those  thousands  of  ways  of  injuring, 
ducing,  and  destroying,  in  which  he  is  such  an  adept. 
ience,  we  so  live,  that  we  cannot  be  a  moment  sure  of 
le  good  that  is  before  us. 

Cyprian,  mentioning  many  things  of  this  kind  in  his 
pistie  concerning  Mortality,  says,  that  death  is  to  be 
3sired  as  a  quick  remedy  tor  getting  clear  of  all  these 
rils*  And,  truly,  where  the  men  wtio  really  labour  in 
ind  under  all  these  infinite  evils,  have  a  good  con- 
aence,  we  see  them  wishing  to  be  dissolved,  that  they 
i^t  thus  be  delivered  at  once  from  all  those  evils  under 
hich  they  now  are,  (as  we  set  it  forth  in  our  preceding 
i£W,)  and  firom  those  that  are  liable  to  fall  upon  them, 
\s  we  are  now  describing  them.)  And  these  are  indeed 
ro  most  just  reasons  for  wishing  for  death  \  wherein, 
lere  is  not  only  a  desiring  of  death,  but  a  despising  of 
1  evils,  and  a  desire  not  to  be  afflicted  with  the  leasts- 
hat  is,  where  the  Lord  is  pleased  to  grant  any  man 
feeling  of  these  evils !  Hence,  if  we  feel  th^n,  it  is 
le  gift  of  God ! 

Indeed,  what  true  Christian  would  not  even  wish  to 
ie,  and  not  to  be  left,  to  see  his  wretchedness,  when  he 
)es  and  feeU,  even  in  his  best  state,  that  he  is  in  many 
AS  and  continual  danger  of  running  into  more,  yea,  of 
cmning  into  them  daily,  and  thus  acting  without  inter- 
lission  a^int  the  most  sweet  will  of  his  most  sweet 
leather  ?  It  was  with  this  indignation  against  himself 
bat  Paul  -was  burning,  when  he  complained,  that  he 
xmU  not  do  the  good  which  he  would,  but  did  the  evil 


134 


-  ^ 


which  he  would  not :  and  it  was  that  which  caused  him 
to  exclaim,  ^'  O  wTetched  man  that  I  am,  who  shall  de- 
liver me  from  the  body  of  this  death?  I  thank  God 
(saith  he)  through  Jesus  Christ,"  &c.  That  Christian  I 
has  very  little  love  for  God  his  Father,  who  doiss  not 
prefer  the  evil  of  death  to  this  evil  of  sinning.  For  God 
has  ordained  the  evil  of  death,  that,  it  mi^t  pnt  an  end 
to  the  evil  of  sin,  and  might»  be  the  gate  unto  life  and 
righteousness. — Concerning  whidi  hereafter. 


VIEW  III. 

OF  PAST  evil;  oe  that  which  is  behind  us. 

In  this  view,  above  all  others,  that  sweet  mercy  of 
God  our  Father  shines  forth,  which  is  able  to  comfort 
us  in  all  our  straits  and  distresses.    For,  no  one  can  fed 
the  hand   of  God  with  him  more  sensibly,  than  by 
taking  a  view  of  the  years  of  his  past  life,    llie  blessed 
Augustine  saith,  ^  If  a  man  were  to  have  the  choiG^ 
either  of  dying  or  living  over  again  his  past  life,^  fe 
would  prefer  death,  when  he  reviewed  all  those'  jpcrils 
and  evils  which  he  had  so  narrowly,  and  with  so'  much 
sorrow,  escaped.'   And  that  remark  is  most  true,  if  it  lie 
rightly  weighed  and  considered. — For,  under  this  view, 
the  man  is  brought  to  see,  how  many  things  he  did  and 
suffered,  and  how  often  ;  without  any  previous  thoudbt 
or  care  of  his  own,  nay,  without,  or  even  contrary  to,  ms 
wishes;   and  concerning  which  things,  he  was*  sp  far   . 
from  having  any  consideration  before  thCT  took  place, 
or  while  they  were  going  on,  that,  after  all  was  accom-  ^ 
plished,  he  was  compelled  to  wonder  within  himself,  I 
and  to  say  by  constraint,  How  did  all  these  things  come  : 
to  pass,  concerning  which  I  had  not  a  thought,  or  which  \ 
are  contrary  to  all  that  I  expected !  —  So  that,  this  pro-  .^ 
verb  is  truth,    *  Man  proposes,  but  God   disposes.!  *  I 
That  is,  he  brings  about  the  opposite,  or  effects  the'con-   ^ 
trary,  to  that  which  men  propose.    Hence,  under  this, 
one  view,  we  taimot  deny,  that  all  our  life  and  actipDs'  ^ 
have  been  governed,  not  by  our  own  prudence,  but  by  , 


135 

die  woaderfal  po'^er,  wisdom,  and  goodness  of  God. 
Heie  we  peic^ve  hdw  often  God  was  with  us,  when  we 
neither  9aw  nor  felt  him :  and  with  what  truth  it  is  that 
Pet^r  has  said,  ^^  He  careth  for  us,"  1  Epist.  v. 
■  -. .  Hejo^  if  there  were  neither  books  nor  vocal  com- 
municatioD,  yest,  our  own  life  conducted  safely  through 
90  many  evils  and  perils,  if  duly  considered,  would. 
fiimish  U3  with  an  abundant  proof  of  the  all-present  and 
all-sweet  goodhe&s  of  God,  which  hcui  ail  along,  contrary 
to  our  knowledge  or  feeling,  carried  us  as  in  its  bosom :. 
q;»  M.ose^i  saith,  Deut.  xxxii.  ^  The  Lord  kept  him  as 
the  apple  of  his  eye,,  and  led  him  about  and  instructed 
him,  aod  bore  him  on  his  shoulders.' 

And  it  wad  from  this  view  that  ail  those  exhorta- 
tions were  given  us  in  the  Psalms,  '^  I  remember  the 
days  of  old ;  I  taoieditate  in  all  thy  works ;  I  muse  on 
the  work  of  thy  .hands,"  Ps.  cxliii.  ^^  I  will  remember 
thy  wonders  of  old,."  Ps.  Ixxvii.  '^  I  remembered  thy 
judgments  of  old,  0  Lord,  and  comforted  myself,"  Ps. 
cxix.  These  and  the  like  meditations  are  all  directed  to 
make  .us  know,  that,  if  we  see  that  God  was  with  us  at  a 
time  when  we  little  thought  it,  and  when  he  did  not  ap- 
pear to  ds  to  be.  present,  we  are  not  to  doubt  that  he  is 
iJK>w  present,  though  he  may  seem  to  be  far  from  us. 
Vet  if  he  saved  us  in  many  great  times  of  need  without 
our  knowing  .it,  he  will  not  forsake  us  in  times  of  less 
tyouble,  though  he  may  seem  to  forsake  us :  as  Isaiah 
saith;  '^  For  a  small  moment  have  I  forsaken  thee,  but 
with  great  mercies  will  I  gather  thee,"  Isaiah  liv. 

And,  add  to  all  this— ^ who  was  it  that  preserved  us 
through  so  many  nights  when  asleep  ?  Who  was  it  that 
always  protected  us  when  we  were  labouring,  giving 
ourselves  to  amusements,  and  engaged  in  all  those  in- 
numerable things  wherein  we  had  no  care  for  ourselves  ? 
Or  how  much  is  there  of  our  time  wherein  we  took  care 
of  ourselves  ?  Hence  we  see,  that  the  whole  care  of  us, 
whether-  we  acknowledge  it  or  not,  was  with  God  only, 
and  tlttit  there  is  not  a  moment  to  be  found,  when  we 
were  left  to  the  care  of  ourselves.  And;  moreover,  God 
does  all  this,  that  he  may  instruct  us  in  the  knowledge 


}36 

of  his  goodness,  and  that  we  may  be  brbn^t  to  see  Ae 
vast  difference  there  is  between  his  caie  and  can. 
Hence  it  is,  that  he  suffers  us  to  be  attacked  with  som^ 
slight  disease,  or  other  evil,  and  carries  himself  as 
though  he  cared  not  for  us,  (though  there  is  no  time 
wherein  he  does  not  care  for  us,)  and  yet,  sufferis  not  all 
the  evils  that  surround  us  to  fall  upon  us  at  once,  but 
tries  us  only  as  dearest  children,  whether  or  not  we  wiB 
trust  ourselves  to  that  care  of  his  which  has  followed 
us  all  our  life  through,  and  be  convinced  of  the  vanitj 
and  impbtency  of  our  own  care  to  protect  ourselves. 
For  what  do  we,  or  what  can  we  do  throughout  odr 
whole  life  towards  protecting  ourselves,  when  we  caniktt 
lielp  ourselves  against  the  least  pain  in  one  of  our 
limbs  ? 

Why  then  are  we  so  distressed  and  anxious  abofnt 
any  one  small  evil  that  may  come  upon  us  ?  Why  do 
we  not  leave  the  whole  care  to  him,  when  our  whole  life 
is  a  testimony,  that  we  have  hitherto  been  broaght  j 
dirough,  and  saved  from,  so  many  evils  by  him,  \tith0dt 
having  any  thing  whatever  to  do  with  it  ourselves  ?  ! 

To  know  these  things,  I  say,  is  to  know  the  wwks  of  j 
God  and  to  meditate  in  his  works,  and  to  be  comfbfted. 
by  that  meditation  under  all  adversities.  And  they  that 
Imow  not  these  things,  will  come  under  that  declaration 
of  Ps.  xxviii.  "Because  they  regard  not  the  works  of 
the  Lord,  nor  the  operation  of  his  hands,  he  shall  destroy 
them  and  not  build  them  up/'  For  those  who  will  not 
trust  the  care  of  themselves  to  God  under  any  oncf 
trouble,  are  ungrateful  for  all  his  care  that  has  been  over 
them  throughout  their  whole  lives, 

VIEW  IV. 

OF   THE    EVILS    FROM    BjCNEATH. 

In  all  the  evils  that  we  have  hitherto  considered, 
(and  which  are  those  to  which  we  are  subject,)  we  have 
seen,  that  the  goodness  of  God  is  so  great  and  so  present 
with  us,  that,  of  all  those  evils  with  which  we  are  in  this 


137 

life  suiTouiided  and  wholly  iacarcerated,  scarcely  any  fall 
upon  us,  and  those  not  of  continual  duration ;  and  that, 
every  single  evil  that  may  be  present  with  us,  and 
under  which  we  may  be  troubled,  is  but  a  monitor  of  the 
great  blessing  with  which  God  honours  us,  in  not  per- 
mitting us  to  be  overwhelmed  at  once  with  that  multi- 
tude of  evils  in  the  midst  of  which  we  Hve. — What  a 
miracle  would  it  be,  if  a  man  were  to  have  an  infinite 
number  of  blows  aimed  at  him,  and  should  only  be 
struck  by  one  !  Yea,  it  would  be  a  signal  mark  of  pro- 
i  tecting  grace  if  he  were  to  escape  any !.  But,  to  escape 
I   nearly  all,  is  a  miracle ! 

J  The  first,  then,  of  those  evils  that  are  beneath  us  is 
;  death;  the  next,  is  hell. — If  we  consider  the  various 
I  and  awful  deaths  of  many  other  sinners,  we  shall  at 
'  once  see,  how  far  we  are,  through  the  divine  goodness, 
from  meeting  with  our  deserts.  How  many  have 
been  strangled,  staked,  drowned,  or  beheaded,  who 
perhaps  had  committed  far  less  sins  than  we  have ! 
Christ,  therefore,  would  set  their  death  and  misery 
before  our  eyes,  that  we  may  thereby  see  what  we 
deserve. — "  So,  when  some  told  him  (Luke  xiii.)  of  the 
Galilaeans,  whose  blood  Pilate  had  mingled  with  their 
sacrifices,"  he  answered,  "  Suppose  ye  that  these  Gali- 
laeans were  •sinners  above  all  the  Galilaeans,  because 
they  suffered  such  things?  I  tell  you.  Nay:  but 
except  ye  repent,  ye  shall  all  likewise  perish.  Or  those 
eighteen  upon  whom  the  tower  of  Siloam  fell,  and  slew 
them,  think  ye  that  they  were  sinners  above  all  men 
that  dwelt  in  Jerusalem  ?  I  tell  you.  Nay:  but  except  ye 
repent,  ye  shall  all  likewise  perish."  For  we  cannot . 
think  that  a  less  punishment  is  due  unto  us  who  have 
committed  the  same,  or  perhaps  greater,  sins.  The 
justice  and  truth  of  God  will  not  be  made  to  lie,  or  to  be 
unjust  on  our  account :  he  has  determined  to  "  render 
unto  every  man  according  to  his  works." 

And,  how  many  thousands  are  there  now  in  hell  and 
eternal  damnation,  who  never  committed  a  thousandth 
part  of  the  sins  that  we  have  ?  How  many  virgins  and 
youths  are  now  there,  whom  we  are  accustomed  to  call 

VOL.   IT.  L 


innocent  characters  ?   How  many  religious  ones,  p 
and  wives  who  appeared  througnout  their  lives  to 
God,  and  who  perhaps  slipped  or  fell   but  one 
under  eternal  punishment? — The  justice  of  God, 
certainty,  views  every  sin  with  the  same  eye :  it 
hates  and  condemns  sin  in  whatever  person  it  is 
Do  we  not  here  then   see   the  unspeakable  me 
God,  in  not  eternally  destroying  us  who  so  oft 
served  it  ?   And  what,  I  ask  you,  can  we  suffer 
whole  life  that  is  equal  to  their  eternal   punish 
We,  however,  after  so  many  sins  are  still  unpu 
and  preserved.    And  if  we  do  not  affectionately  i 
or  if  we  lightly  esteem  these  mercies  of  God,  it  is 
titude,  and  we  are  in  a  certain  hardened  state  of 
sible  unbelief. 

Moreover,  we  may  here  consider  the  ii 
gentiles,  Jews,  and  infants ;  who,  if  th'ey  hac 
blessed  with  the  advantages  that  we  have  er 
would  not  have  been  in  hell,  but  in  heaven ;  and 
have  committed  far  less  sins.  For  this  view  Chri 
sets  before  us.  Matt.  xi.  "  Woe  unto  thee,  Che 
woe  unto  thee,  Bethsaida!  for  if  the  mighty 
which  were  done  in  you  had  been  done  ir 
and  Sidon,  they  would  have  repented  long  i 
sackcloth  and  ashes.  But  I  say  unto  you,  I 
be  more  tolerable  for  Tyre  and  Sidon  in  the  < 
judgment,  than  for  you.  Woe  unto  thee,  Capei 
which  art  exalted  unto  heaven,  thou  shalt  be  b 
down  to  hell :  for  if  the  mighty  works  which  hav 
done  in  thee  had  been  done  in  Sodom,  it  wouL 
remained  unto  this  day.  But  I  say  unto  you,  '] 
shall  be  more  tolerable  for  the  land  of  Sodom  in  t 
of  judgment^  than  for  thee." 

We  here  then  see  how  much  praise  and  lo 
due  unto  our  ever  blessed  God,  under  .every  ev 
comes  upon  us;  when  we  bear  in  mind,  that  it 
as  one  spark  of  those  evils  which  we  deserve ; 
evils  Job  compares  to  the  sea,  and  to  the  sand 
the  sea-shore. 


IS9 
VIEW  V. 

OF   THE    EVILS    ON    OUR    LEFT    HAND. 

Here,  we  are  to  set  before  our  eyes  tlie  great  mul- 
tude  of  our  adversaries  and  of  evil  men ;  and  to  con- 
der  first  of  all,  how  many  evils  there  are  that  they 
ive  not  brought  upon  our  bodies,  our  property,  our 
me,  and  upon  our  souls,  which  they  would  have  done, 
id  not  the  overruling  hand  of  God  put  it  out  of  their 
>wer.  And  the  higher  any  one  is  in  station  and  rank, 
id  the  more  widely  he  rules,  to  the  more  snares,  plots, 
ratagems,  revilings,  and  temptations  of  these  adversa- 
es  is  he  exposed.  In  all  which,  he  may  see  and  know, 
lat  the  hand  of  God  is  most  conspicuously  with  him. 
ut  what  wonder  is  it  if  we  be  touched  now  and  then  ? 
•  But  still,  we  are  not  to  view  the  evils  and  miserable 
ate  of  these  men,  so  as  to  exult  over  them ;  but,  that 
e  may  suffer  with  them ;  for  they  are  exposed  to  all 
le  same  evils  that  we  are ;  as  may  be  plainly  seen  in 
le  preceding  views.  But  they  are  more  wretched 
lan  we  are  in  this  —  they  are  out  of  our  society,  both 
)rporal  and  spiritual.  For  the  evils  that  we  suffer  are 
>thing  to  be  compared  to  their  state.  They  are  under 
n  and  unbelief,  under  the  wrath  of  God,  under  the 
5wer  of  the  devil,  and  in  the  most  wretched  slavery  to 
igodliness  and  iniquity :  so  that,  if  the  whole  world 
lould  rise  up  and  curse  them,  it  could  not  imprecate 
1  their  heads  greater  curses  than  those  under  which 
ley  now  lie. 

If  we  seriously  weigh  all  these  things,  we  shall  at 
ice  see,  how  distinguished  a  blessing  the  Almighty 
mfers  upon  us,  in  permitting  us  to  endure  some 
ifling  inconvenience  of  our  poor  body,  in  faith,  in 
^e  kingdom  of  Christ,  and  in  the  service  of  God: 
hich  inconvenience,  in  the  midst  of  such  a  profusion 
'  blessings,  ought  not  indeed  to  be  felt.  Nay,  the 
isery  of  the  above-mentioned  wretched  creatures  should 
3pear  such  in  the  eyes  of  a  Christian  and  a  God- 

l2 


140 

fearing  man,  that  he  ought  to  consider  his  own  troubles 
as  joys.  Hence,  Paul  exhorts  the  Philippians,  chap.  ii. 
that  each  of  them  should  consider  the  things  of  another 
and  not  his  own.  And,  (says  he,)  "  Let  this  mind  be 
in  you,  which  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus.  Who,  being  in  the 
form  of  God — took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant," 
&c.  That  is,  he,  with  the  most  pious  affection,  took 
upon  him  our  form  and  bore  our  evils  as  if  they  were  his 
own  ;  and  so.  laid  aside,  and  emptied  himself  of,  himself 
and  his  own  blessings,  that  he  was  found  altogether  in 
the  likeness  of  man ;  considering  nothing  beneath  him, 
and  being  fully  immersed  in  our  evils. 

Under  the  influence  of  this  affection,  and  moved 
by  the  view  of  this  example,  the  saints  also  are  led  to 
pray  for  the  wicked ;  even  for  those  of  them  who  are 
their  enemies,  and  to  do  all  things  after  the  example  of 
Christ;  and,  forgetting  the  injuries  and  the  acts  of 
injustice  done  them,  to  consider  only  how  they  can 
deliver  them  from  their  evils ;  with  which,  they  are  far 
more  deeply  affected  than  with  their  own  corporal 
evils :  as  Peter  saith  of  Lot,  2  Epist.  ii.  *'  That  righteous 
man  dwelling  among  them,  vexed  his  righteous  soul 
from  day  to  day  with  their  unlawful  deeds."' 

You  see,  therefore,  what  a  depth  of  evils  is  here 
opened  up,  and  what  an  occasion  is  given  for  pitying 
and  sympathizing;  and  also,  of  forgetting  our  own 
light  afflictions ;  and  moreover,  of  considering  the  love 
of  God  in  permitting  ns  to  suffer  such  trivial  evils,  in 
comparison  with  what  they  have  to  endure.  And  the 
reason  why  we  are  so  little  affected  with  these  things, 
is,  because  the  eye  of  our  heart  is  not  sufficiently  cleared 
to  see  the  dreadful  shame  and  misery  of  the  man  who  is 
lying  under  sin ;  that  is,  separated  from  God  and  pos- 
sessed by  the  devil. 

For,  who  is  there  so  steeled,  who  could  not  faint 
away  at  the  miserable  sight  of  those  who  lie  at  the  doors 
of  our  churches,  and  at  the  comers  of  our  streets,  with 
their,  faces,  noses,  and  eyes  eaten  up  by  disease,  and 
With  all  the  rest  of  their  limbs  so  consumed  by  wounds 
and  filth,  that  the  mind  might  be  horror-struck  at  the 


141 

sight  of  them,  and  the  senses  recoil  at  beholding  them .? 
And,  to  what  would  God  lead  us  by  setting  before  us 
these  pitiable  objects  of  our  flesh  and  brotherhood? 
but,  that  he  might  thereby  open  the  eyes  of  our  mind, 
to  see  how  far  more  dreadful  a  spectacle  the  soul  of  the 
sinner  exhibits,  even  though  he  himself  should  be 
clothed  in  purple  and  gold,  and  be  even  in  the  midst  of 
roses  and  lilies,  like  a  son  of  Paradise?  And  how 
many  sinners  are  there  in  the  world  compared  to  one  of 
these  poor,  filthy,  and  diseased  creatures  ? — It  is  when 
we  think  nothing  either  of  the  magnitude  or  multitude 
of  these  infinite  evils  in  our  neighbours,  that  we  are  led 
to  imagine,  that  every  little  evil  that  comes  upon  us  is 
the  only,  or  the  greatest,  evil  there  is. 

But  farther — grant  it  to  be  necessary,  that  they 
should,  as  to  corporal  evils,  be  in  a  worse  condition 
than  ourselves :  yet,  supposing  they  had,  and  could 
obtain,  all  that  they  could  wish  for,  what  could  they 
enjoy  that  is  sweet  or  truly  happy,  while  their  con- 
science is  unable  to  find  rest  ?  Is  there  any  evil  more 
dreadful  than  the  biting  sting  of  conscience  ?  For  Isaiah 
saith,  chap.  Ivii.  "  The  wicked  are  like  the  troubled 
sea  when  it  cannot  rest,  whose  waters  cast  up  mire  and 
dirt.  There  is  no  peace,  saith  my  God,  to  the  wicked." 
In  such,  therefore,  you  may  see  fulfilled  that  scripture, 
Deut.  xxviii.  "  The  Lord  shall  give  thee  a  trembling 
heart,  and  failing  of  eyes,  and  sorrow  of  mind.  And 
thy  life  shall  hang  in  doubt  before  thee  ;  and  thou  shalt 
fear  day  and  night ,  and  shalt  have  none  assurance  of 
thy  life.  In  the  morning  thou  shalt  say,  Would  God  it 
were  even !  and  at  even  thou  shalt  say.  Would  God  it 
were  morning !  for  the  fear  of  thine  heart  wherewith 
thou  shalt  fear,  and  for  the  sight  of  thine  eyes  where- 
with thou  shalt  see." 

In  a  word,  if  any  man  should  see  all  the  evils  of  the 
wicked  whether  they  were  his  fiiends  or  his  enemies, 
and  rightly  think  of  them,  he  would  not  only  forget  all 
his  own  evils,  and  consider  his  own  afflictions  as 
nothing,  but  would  break  out  like  Moses  and  the 
Apostle  Paul,  requesting  "  to  die  "  for  their  sakes,  and 


148 

to  be  "  accursed  from  Christ,"  and  to  be  "  blotted 
of  the  book  of  life/'  that  they  might  be  delivered, 
it  was  with  this  zeal  and  ardent  love  that  Christ  died 
us,  and  descended  into  hell ;   leaving  ws  to  exam] 
tfiat  we  should  be  so  concerned  for  the  evils  of 
that  we  should  forget  ourselves,  yea  bring  evils 
ourselves  for  their  sakes. 


3C0 
k 


H 


VIEW  VI. 

OF    THE    EVILS    ON    OUR    RIGHT    HAND. 

On  the  right  hand  are  our  friends :  and,  that  aii 
evils  ought  to  be  mitigated  by  theirs,  Peter  also 
1  Epist.  V.  "  Resist  the  devil  strong  in  the  faith;  know- 
ing, that  the  same  afflictions  are  accomplished  in  — 
brethren  that  are  in  the  world."    Hence,  the  c 
requests  in  her  prayers,  that,  being  provoked  to  emuhh'"'* 
tion  by  the  examples  of  the  saints,  we  should  imititt 
their  fortitude  under  sufferings.    And  she  sings  of  wbil 
torments  all  the  saints  endured  that  they  might  obtak 
the  martyrs'  crown. 

From  the  words  and  canticles  of  the  church,  i»c 
understand,  that  the  festivals,  memorials,  churches^ 
altars,  names,  and  images  of  the  saints  were  therefort  ^ 
held  in  honour  and  multiplied,  that  we  might  be  anf-f 
mated  by  their  examples  to  the  enduring  of  those  evibj^ 
which  they  suffered.  And,  if  they  be  held  in  honour  tor 
any  other  end  besides  this,  the  whole  of  that  worship  is  [* 
nothing  but  superstition.  For  there  are  many  who  ok- 
brate  all  these  things  to  the  intent  that  they  might  not 
endure  those  evils,  which  the  saints,  by  their  example  | 
and  memory,  teach  us  to  endure ;  and  that  they  mi^t 
not  become  like  unto  those  whose  festivals  they  celc-  ' 
brate,  that  they  might  be  made  like  unto  them.  v 

But  the  Apostle,  Heb.  xii,  handles  this  part  of  our  f 
consolation    most    beautifully,   where    he    says,   "  Ye 
have  not  yet  resisted  unto  blood,  striving  a^inst  sin. 
And  ye  have  forgotten  the  exhortation  which  speaketh 
unto  you  as  unto  children,  My  son,  despise  dot  thou  tbe 


chastening  of  the  hottX  -^ecatkms  of  the  devil :  for  there 
of  him.  For  whom  lhc\^ .  in  body  and  In  spirit,  fiir 
and  scourgeth  every  son  x^;^ ,  '  we  do. 
endure  chastisement,  God  6^^  v — My  diatress  is, 
sons ;  for  what  son  is  he  whoC^^^  ■  compared  with 
not?  But  if  ye  be  without  chastisnn^^^J^  Tiner  and  not 
partakers,  then  are  ye  bastards  aTi4*^J^^5;<;  "^fey  suffered 
more,  we  have  had  fathers  of  our  fleSu'"V^\  therefore, 
us,  and  we  gave  them  reverence;  st^v^^Sv  -suffer- 
rather  be  in  subjection  unto  the  Faihei^  '"V^  '^  ^'^ 
live  ?  For  they,  verily,  for  a  few  days  cba&te^S!^  tac 
their  own  pleasure,  but  he  for  our  profit,  i\ia^  "^^iSu 
be  partakers  of  his  holinsss.    Now  no  cliasteiun^?''"^  ' 

present  seemeth  to  be  joyous,  but  grievous :  aevJ^!  ^ 
afterward  it  yieldeth  the  peaceable  fruits  of  lirfK^^ 
ness  unto  them  that  are  exercised  thereby  ^^S?*- 
speaketh  Paul.  '^^ 

Who  may  not  tremble  at  these  words  of  Paul,  wW- 
he  plainly  shews,  that  those  who  are  without  chastise, 
ment  are  not  the  sons  of  God  ?  And  again,  who  nu,^ 
not  be  most  strongly  confirmed  and  most  effectuallu 
comforted  when  he  hears,  that  those  who  are  chastened 
are  beloved  of  God,  are  the  sons  of  God,  are  in  com- 
munion with  all  the  saints,  and  are  not  the  only  ones 
who  endure  affliction  ?  This  powerful  consolation  makes 
the  chastisement  even  sweet ! 

Nor  is  there  here  any  place  for  excuse,  by  sayings 
that  the  sufferings  of  some  are  lighter  or  heavier  than 
those  of  others :  for,  every  one  has  his  temptation 
according  to  his  measure,  and  that,  not  beyond  his  powers 
to  bear:  as  in  Ps.  Ixxx.  "  Thou  feedest  them  with  the 
bread  of  tears,  and  givest  them  tears  to  drink  in  mea- 
sure," The  same  also  does  Paul  say,  1  Cor,  x.  "  But 
God  is  faithful ;  who  will  not  suffer  you  to  be  tempted 
above  that  ye  are  able,  but  will  with  the  temptation  also 
make  a  way  to  escape  that  ye  may  be  able  to  bear  it." 
And,  where  the  evil  is  the  greater,  there  is  a  greater 
provision  also  of  the  divine  assistance ;  so  that  the  dif- 
ferences of  the  sufferings  are  more  in  appearance,  than 


144 

• 

they  are  in  reality.  For  might  not  John  the  Bapti 
whom  we  at  this  day  commemorate  as  beheaded 
Herod,  fill  us  with  astonishment?  that  he,  being 
great  a  man,  a  greater  than  whom  had  not  been  boni'^'"- 
women,  and  who  was  the  intimate  friend  of  the  \m 
groom,  the  forerunner  of  Christ,  and  the  greatest  of 
the  prophets,  should  be  killed,  not  by  the  execution 
any  public  sentence,  nor  even  upon  any  false  accnsarja 
tion,  as  Christ  was,  nor  by  the  voice  of  the  people,  batl* 
in  a  prison  on  account  of  the  dancing  of  an  adultererft]: 
daughter?  Such  an  ignominious  death  of  one  saint,  and|*: 
a  life  thus  vilely  and  most  shamefully  given  into 
hands  of  an  adulteress  who  was  his  bitterest  enemy,— It: 
such  an  example,  I  say,  should  at  once  make  all  (m% 
evil  to  appear  as  nothing.  He  perished  as  thou^ 
unknown  either  to  God,  to  man,  or  to  any  creature! 
What  do  we  suffer  in  comparison  with  the  death  of  thi»|^ 
saint !  We  may,  I  will  not  say  glory  in,  but  be  ashamed 
of,  all  our  sufferings,  when  we  draw  the  comparison.  K 
we  wish  to  endure  no  suffering,  where  shall  we  appear 
when  such  great  men  suffered  deaths  so  ignominious 
which  they  never  deserved,  and  when  their  bodies,  after 
they  were  dead,  were  exposed  to  the  insults  of  the 
populace  ?  For  thus  saith  the  Lord  by  Jeremiah,  "  Be- 
hold, they  whose  judgment  was  not  to  drink  of  the  cup, 
have  assuredly  drunken ;  and  art  thou  he  that  shall 
altogether  go  unpunished  ?  thou  shalt  not  go  unpu- 
nished, but  thou  shalt  surely  drink  of  it,"  Jer.  xlix. 

Right,  therefore,  was  that  eremite,  who,  when  he 
had  been  usually  sick  every  year,  and  during  one  certaia 
year  had  not  been  sick  at  all,  began  to  be  sorrowful  and 
to  lament;  saying,  that  God  had  forgotten  him,  and 
had  denied  him  his  grace. — So  necessary  and  salutary 
is  the  chastening  of  the  Lord  for  all  Christians. 

We  see,  however,  how  all  our  sufferings  sink  into 
nothing,  when  we  consider  the  nails,  the  dungeons,  the 
swords,  the  fires,  the  beasts,  and  numberless  other 
torments  of  the  saints  :  nay,  even  if  we  consider  the  temp- 
tations of  those  living  immediately  around  us,  who  are 


145 

sufTering  the  bitterest  persecutions  of  the  devil :  for  there 
are  many  who  suffer,  both  in  body  and  in  spirit,  far 
more  heavy  and  bitter  things  than  we  do. 

But  here,  perhaps  some  will  say — My  distress  is, 
that  my  suffering  is  not  worthy  of  being  compared  with 
.the  sufferings  of  the  saints;  for  I  am  a  sinner  and  not 
worthy  to  be  compared  with  them  at  all.  They  suffered 
for  their  innocence,  but  I  suffer  for  my  sins :  therefore, 
it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  if  they  endured  their  suffer- 
ings joyfully. — This  is  great  folly ;  for  if  thou  suffer  for 
thy  sins,  thou  oughtest  to  rejoice,  m  that  thy  sins  are 
purged  from  thee.     And  were  not  the  saints  sinners  ? 

But,  thou  wilt  say  again — I  greatly  fear,  that  I  am 
like  Herod,  and  the  thief  on  the  left  hand  of  Christ. — 
If  thou  art  patient,  thou  art  not  like  them.  For,  what 
distinguishes  between  the  thief  on  the  left  hand,  and  him 
on  the  right,  but  patience,  and  impatience  ?  If  thou  art 
a  sinner,  well :  the  thief  was  a  sinner  also ;  but  his  pa- 
.tience  of  justice  was  followed  by  the  glory  of  holiness. 
Do  thou  then  likewise.  Thou  canst  not  suffer,  but  for 
thy  sins,  or  for  justice :  and  each  suffering  sanctifieth 
and  rendereth  happy,  if  thou  love  it.  Hence,  there  is  no 
place  left  for  excuse.  And,  in  a  word,  the  moment  thou 
confessest  that  thou  sufferest  for  thy  sins  "justly,"  thou 
art  just  and  holy;  as  was  the  thief  on  the  right  hand. 
For  the  confession  of  sin,  as  it  is  truth,  sanctifies  and 
justifies ;  and  thus,  from  the  moment  of  this  confession, 
thou  sufferest  not  for  thy  sins,  but  for  thy  innocence : . 
for  a  just  man  cannot  suffer  but  innocently :  and  thou 
art  made  just,  upon  thy  confession  of  thy  deserved  suf- 
ferings and  thy  sins.  And  hence,  thy  suffering  may 
really  and  truly  be  compared  with  the  sufferings  of  the 
saints ;  even  as,  thy  confession  of  thy  sins  may  really 
and  truly  be  compared  with  the  same  confession  of  the 
saints.  For  the  truth  in  all,  the  confession  of  all,  the  suf- 
fering of  all,  are  the  same :  and  the  communion  of  the 
saints  is  truly  the  same  in  all  the  saints  and  in  alt 
things. 


ms 


VIEW  A^II. 

OF    THE    EVILS    FROM    ABOVE. 

Lastly,  we  are  to  raise  our  heart  upwards,  and  to 
ascend  into  the  mountain  of  myrrh  with  the  spouse. 
There  is  Jesus  Christ  the  head  of  all  saints,  the  greatest 
of  all  sufferers,  orucified :  concerning  whom,  many  m^ 
have  written  many  things,  and  all  something.  The 
spouse's  remembrance  of  this  person  is  commended, 
where  it  is  sedd,  ^'  Set  me  as  a  s^  upon  thine  heart,  as 
a  seal  upon  thine  arm,"  Song  viii.  The  sign  of  the  blood 
of  this  Lamb  upon  the  threshold,  wards  off  the  destroying 
angel. — The  spouse  is  commended  again  because  "  the 
hair  of  her  head  is  like  purple,"  Song  vii. :  that  is,  her 
meditation  brightens  at  the  remembrance  of  the  passion 
of  Christ. — This  is  that  tree  which  Moses  was  com- 
manded to  cast  unto  the  waters  of  Marah,  (that  is,  bitter 
sufferings,)  and  they  became  sweet. 

There  is  nothing  which  this  passion  cannot  sweeten : 
it  sweetens  even  death  itself.  Hence,  the  spouse  saith, 
"  Hisjips  are  like  lilies  dropping  sweet-smelling  myrrh," 
Song  V.  But  what  similarity  is  there  between  lilies 
and  the  lips,  when  the  one  are  red  and  the  other  white  ? 
— She  speaks  this  in  a  mystery;  signifying,  that  his 
words  are  all -fair  and  all-pure,  and  that  there  is  no 
bloody  bitterness  or  livid  impurity  in  them;  but  that 
they  are  sweet  and  soft,  and  that  they  drop,  and  even 
persuade  sweet-smelling  myrrh,  that  is,  the  most  bitter 
death.  These  most  pure  and  sweet  lips  have  a  power  in 
them  to  make  the  bitterest  death,  (which,  like  myrrh  in 
its  prime  and  power,  takes  away  at  once  all  the  shame 
of  sin,)  sweet,  fair,  lovely,  and  desirable. 

But  how  is  this  effected  ? — It  is  whilst  thou  art 
hearing  that  Jesus  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  has,  by  his 
most  holy  touch,  consecrated  and  sanctified  all  suf- 
ferings, and  so,  even  death  itself;  and  has  so  blessed  all 
curses,  so  glorified  shame,  and  so  enriched  poverty ;  that 
death  is  compelled  to  become  the  gate  of  life,  cursing 


147 

• 

the  beginning  idf  blestsing,  luid  shame  tlie  parent  of  ^ory. 
Here  men,  how  caxist  thou  be  so  hardened  and  ungrateful, 
as  not  even  to  desire  and  to  love  all  sufferings  thus 
touched  and  sanctified,  thus  rendered  harmless  and 
wholesome,  and  thus  turned  into  blessings  and  joys,  by 
the  all-pare  and  all-holy  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ ! 

For,  if  Christ,  by  the  touch  of  his  all-pure  flesh, 
sanctified  all  water  unto  baptism;  how. much  more  did 
he,  by  the  touch  of  the  same  all-pure  flesh  and  blood, 
sanctify  every  death,  all  sufferings,  all  injuries,  all  curses, 
and  all  shame,  unto  the  baptism  of  the  spirit,  or  of  the 
body  ?  For  he  thus  speaks  of  the  same  baptism  of  his 
suffering,  Luke  xii.  "  I  have  a  baptism  to  be  baptized 
with,  and  how  am  I  straitened  till  it  be  accomplished  !" 
You  see  how  he  is  straitened,  how  he  pants,  how  he 
longs  to  sanctify  all  sufferings  and  death  also,  and  to 
render  them  lovely.  For  he  sees  that  we  are  alarmed 
at  sufferings;  he  sees  that  we  tremble  with  horror  at 
death.  And  therefore,  as  a  most  pious  pastor,  and  a 
most  faithful  phy^ian,  wishing  to  remedy  this  our  evil, 
he  longs  and  is  straightened  to  die,  that  he  might  by  his 
touch  render  death  desirable. 

Hence,  the  death  of  the  Christian,  is  looked  upon 
as  the  brazen  serpent  of  Moses ;  which  has  indeed  in  all 
respects  the  appearance  of  a  serpent,  but  is  altogether 
without  life,  without  motion,  without  poison,  and  without 
power  to  bite.  So,  the  just  seem  to  die,  in  the  eyes  of 
the  foolish,  whereas,  they  rest  in  peace.  We  are  indeed 
like  unto  men  dying,  nor  is  there  any  difference,  in 
appearance,  between  our  death  and  that  of  others :  But, 
in  reality,  the  difference  is  great:  for,  to  us  death  is  dead. 
So  also,  all  our  other  sufferings  are  like  the  sufferings  of 
other  men,  but  they  are  so  in  appearance  only.  For, 
in  reality,  our  sufferings  are  the  beginnings  of  the  con- 
traries, even  as  death  is  the  beginning  of  life.  And  this 
is  what  Christ  saith,  John  viii.  "  Verily,  verily  I  say 
unto  you.  If  a  man  keep  my  saying,  he  shall  never  see 
death."  But  how  shall  he  not  see  death ! — Because, 
when  he  dies,  he  then  begins  to  live !  And  therefore, 
he  cannot  see  death  for  the  brightness  of  the  life  which  is 


148 

presented  to  his  view.  For  here,  the  night  is  as  clear  as 
the  day,  for  the  light  of  the  beginning  of  life,  is  brighter 
than  the  light  of  the  death  that  leads  to  it.  These 
things  are  in  reality  so  unto  those  that  believe  in  Christ, 
but  unto  the  unbelieving  they  are  not  so. 

Wherefore,  if  thou  lovest,  embracest,  and  kissest 
the  coat  of  Christ,  his  vessels,  his  washing-basins,  and 
whatever  Christ  touched  and  used,  as  the  dearest  relics, 
and  as  consecrated  by  his  touch  ;  why  shouldst  thou  not 
much  rather  love,  embrace,  and  kiss  punishments  and 
all  the  evils  of  the  world,  and  also  shame  and  death, 
which  were  not  only  consecrated  by  his  touch,  but  sanc- 
tified and  blessed  by  his  all-pure  blood,  and  moreover, 
embraced  by  him  with  all  willingness  of  heart,  and  with 
all  the  urging  fervency  of  love  ?  And  that  more  espe- 
cially, when  thou  wilt  attain  unto  much  greater  rewards 
and  blessings  by  enduring  ,  these  sufferings,  than  by 
worshipping  those  relics.  For  by  the  latter,  thou 
attainest  unto  the  victory  over  death  and  hell,  and 
over  all  sins;  whereas,  by  the  former,  thou  profitest 
nothing. 

O  if  we  could  but  look  into  the  heart  of  Christ,  and 
see  it  as  it  was  when  he  was  hanging  on  the  cross  and 
straitened  to  render  death  dead  and  contemptible! — 
with  what  ardour  and  sweetness  he  met  death  and 
punishment  for  those  who  are  fearful  and  tremble  at 
death, — how  willingly  he  first  tasted  this  cup,  before 
those  that  are  sick,  that  they  might  not  be  afraid  to 
drink  of  it — and  if  we  did  but  rightly  consider  that  no 
evil  happened  unto  him,  but  good  only,  by  his  resurrec- 
tion from  the  dead. — If,  I  say,  we  could  but  see  and 
rightly  consider  these  things,  the  effect  without  doubt 
would  be,  that  that  sweet-smelling  niyrrh  which  would 
drop  from  his  lips,  and  those  words  of  his  which  would 
commend  it  unto  us,  would  be  most  delightful  and  most 
sweet,  sweeter  than  the  scent  and  fairness  of  lilies :  as 
Peter  also  saith,  .  Epist.  iv.  "  Forasmuch  then  as  Christ 
hath  suffered  for  us  in  the  flesh,  arm  yourselves  likewise 
with  the  same  mind."  And  Paul  also,  Heb.  xii.  "  For 
consider  him  that  endured  such  contiudiction  of  sinneni 


-     149 

gainst  himself,  lest  ye  be  wearied  and  faint  in. year 
oinds." ,  : 

If  therefore  we  learnt  to  bear  our  afflictions  patiently 
rom  the .  former  views  of  evil  around  and  beneath  lis  j 
len  surely,  being  under  this  iast  view  raised  above  and 
eyond  ourselves,  and  carried  unto  Christ,  and  being 
lus  lifted  up  above  all  evils,  those  evils  will  not  only 
ppear  to  us  able  to  be  endured,  but  even  to  be  lovea, 
dshed  for,  and  to  be  sought. for.*  Wherefore,  under 
bis  last  VIEW,  all  the  evils  that  we  may  suffer  must 
e  drowned  and  swallowed  up ;  so  that  now,  they  cannot 
>nly  not  pain  us,  but  must  even  be  sweet  unto  us,  if 
his  VIEW  but  enter  into  our  hearts,  and  rest  in  the  in- 
vard  affection  of  our  minds. — So  far  concerning  the 

riRST  PART — We  UOW  COmC  tO  the  SECOND. 


PART  SECOND. 
VIEWS    OF    GOOD. 

To  this  second  part,  we  are  also  to  give  its  seven 
views,  contrary  to  those  of  the  first  part :  which  shall 
be,  I.  Of  the  good  within  us. — II.  Before  us. — III.  Be- 
hind us. — IV.  From  Beneath. — V.  On  our  left  hand. — 
VI.  On  our  right  hand. — VII.  From  above. 


VIEW  I. 

OF   THE    GOOD    WITHIN    US. 

And  who  can  enumerate  even  those  good  things 
only  which  each  one  has  in  his  own  person?  First: 
How  great  are  our  endowments  of  body — beauty, 
strength,  health,  and  activity?  To  which  endowments 
there  is  added,  in  the  man,  a  greater  nobleness  of  sex, 
which  is  fitted  for  the  transaction  of  many  things  both 
private  and  public,  and  for  the  execution  of  many  great 


t 


160 

ttDdertakings,  to  which  the  woman  is  not  adapted.  Aad 
what  great  evil  is  it,  if,  while  you  enjoy  these  exalted 
eifts  (by  the  peimission  of  God)  for  ten,  twen^,  or 
tnirty  years  with  pleasure,  you  should  suffer  a  litde  for 
one  hour,  or,  perhaps,  for  ten  days  ?  What  sort  of  crea- 
tures are  we,  who,  when  we  have  enjoyed  many  hapjiy 
hours,  are  unwilling  to  experience  even  one  hour  of  evffl  r 
We  see,  therefore,  with  what  great  blessings  of  God  we 
are  surrounded,  and  with  how  few  evils  we  are  toudied; 
at  least  the  most  of  us. 

But,  not  content  with  having  so  bountifully  shed 
upon  us  these  blessings,  the  best  of  beings  has  added 
moreover  riches  and  an  abundance  of  all  things ;  and, 
if  not  to  all,  yet  to  many  ;  and  to  those .  more  especi- 
ally who  are  the  less  fitted  to  endure  evils.  For,  as  I 
at  first  observed,  to  those  whom  God  gives  less  of  ex- 
ternal things,  he  gives  more  of  mind ;  that  all  things  may 
be  equal,  and  that  he  might  be  the  righteous  judge  of 
all.  For  an  abundance  of  riches,  does  not  bring  so 
much  consolation  as  a  happy  mind.  Moreover,  to 
some  God  gives  children,  the  summit  of  pleasure,  (as  we 
call  it,)  power,  dominion,  honouri  fame,  favour,  and 
glory,  &c. :  to  which,  if  he  add  also  a  long  time  of  en- 
joyment, or  even  a  short  time,  we  shall  easily  see,  how  j^ 
they  ought  to  act  under  a  light  evil.  And  again,  he  baa 
bestowed  endowments  even  above  all  these, — miod, 
knowledge,  judgment,  eloquence,  and  wisdom:  and 
here  also,  as  in  the  former  cases^  he  has  tempered  his 
administration  with  an  equality;  and,  if  he  has  any 
where  given  a  greater  share  of  these  blessings,  he  \m  i 
not  on  that  account,  preferred  those  persons  above  j^ 
others,  but  has  given  to  those  who  had  the  less  share,  a 
greater  portion  of  peace  or  happiness  of  mind. 

And  in  all  these  things,  the  most  bountiful  hand  of  | 
God  should  be  answered  with  gratitude,  and  our  infir-  ] 
mities  should  be  consoled;  nor  ought  we  to  wonder, 
if,  amidst  the  multitude  and  magnitude  of  these  Uess- 
ings,  there  be  some  little  intermingling  of  bitterness. 
For,  even  with  voluptuaries,  no  dainty  is  savoury  without 
salt:  nor  indeed  is  any  food  pai^table  that  has  not 


ome  bitter  taste  with  it,  either  iimate  or  produced  by 
urt :  and  therefore,  a  perpetual  and  unchangeable 
weetness  is  unbearable.  Hence  he  ^oke  rightly,  who 
(aid,  '  Every  pleasure  by  continuation  produces  dis- 
rust.'  And,  as  another  said,  '  Labour  is  in  fact  the 
rery  pleasure/  That  is  to  say^  This  life  has  not  power 
:o  bear  the  enjoyment  of  perpetual  good  without  a 
temperature  of  evil:  because  the  abundant  fulness  of 
good,  would  be  too  much  for  it.  Hence  has  proceeded 
this  praverb,  ^  Those  bones  mvb^t  be  strong  which  can 
bear  good  days.'  Which  praverb  I  have  often  revolved 
in  my  mind,  and  have  wondered  at  the  truth  and  admi- 
rableness  of  its  sentiment :  namely,  that  the  wishes  of 
men  are  contrary  to  their  wishes :  for,  they  are  seeking 
after  days  of  enjoyment  only :  and  yet,  as  soon  as  they 
have  obtained  diem,  they  are  less  able  to  bear  them, 
than  days  of  affliction. 

And  what  does  God  commend  unto  us  under  this 
view,  but  that,  in  the  midst  of  these  things  which  are 
such  enemies  to  the  cross,  we  should  admire  the  cross  ? 
and  that,  the  remains  of  the  cross  should  so  temper  and 
ianctify  the  whole  of  them,  that  it  may  prevent  them 
from  perishing;  as  the  seasoning  of  meat  with  salt 
prevents  it  from  breeding  worms  ?  Why  then  should  we 
not  receive  this  tempering  most  cheerfully,  as  sent  of 
God :  which,  if  he  did  not  send,  our  life,  unable  to 
bear  continual  pleasure  and  enjoyment,  would  of  itself 
call  for  ?  Hence  we  see,  how  true  that  is  which  the 
wise  man,  Prov.  viii.  saith  concerning  God,  '  That  his 
power  reaches  unto  all  things  from  the  beginning  to  the 
end,  and  that  he  sweetly  disposes  all  things.'  And  thus, 
if  we  look  into  these  blessings,  we  shall  find  that  to  be 
true  which  Moses  hath  said,  Deut.  xxxii.  *  He  bore 
him  on  his  shoulders,  he  led  him  about,  and  kept  him 
as  the  apple  of  his  eye.' — With  such  arguments  as  these 
we  may  stop  the  mouths  of  those  who  pratingly  and 
ungratefully  say,  that  there  is  in  this  Ufe  more  evil 
than  good.  For,  blessings  and  an  infinite  multitude  of 
sweets  are  not  wanting,  but  there  are  wanting  persons 
of  the  same  understanding  as  he  had,  who  said,  ^*  The 


15fi 

earth  is  full  of  the  goodness  of  the  Lord/*  Psalm  xxxnl 
Again,  "  The  earth  is  full  of  his  praise."  Again,  "  The 
earth  is  full  of  thy  riches,"  Psalm  civ.  And  again, 
"  Thou,  Lord,  hast  made  me  glad  through  thy  works," 
Psalm  xcii. 

Hence,  the  church  sings  daily,  *  Heaven  and  earth 
are  full  of  thy  glory/  And  why?  Because  he  sheds 
abroad  infinite  blessings,  for  which  he  is  praised ;  but, , 
by  those  only  who  see  this  fulness.  And,  as  we  said  . 
under  our  first  view  of  evil,  that  the  evils  of.  each  man  ^ 
were  little  or  great  according  to  his  opinion  or  feeling  of , 
them ;  so  also,  though  blessings  should  surround  us  and 
pour  in  upon  us  from  all  sides,  yet  they  will  be  no  • 
greater  to  us,  than  we  think  them  to  be.  For  although  ^ 
all  things  that  God  hath  made  are  "  very  good,^  yet 
they  are  not  acknowledged  to  be  so  by  all :  because, 
many  are  such  as  are  described  Psalm  cvi.  "  Yea, ' 
they  despised  the  pleasant  land." 

A  most  beautiful  and  experienced  example  of  this 
view  is  set  before  us  by  Job ;  who,  when  all  his  sub-  ; 
stance  was  taken  from  him,  said,  "  Shall  we  receive 
good  at  the  hand  of  God,  and  shall  we  not  receive  evil?" 
Job  i.  A  truly  golden  word,  and  a  powerful  comfort 
under  temptation  !  And  Job  was  not  only  patient  under 
this,  but  was  at  the  same  time  tempted  by  his  wife  to 
impatiency ;  who  said  to  him,  "  Dost  thou  still  retain 
thine  integrity  ?  Curse  God,  and  die ! "  Job  ii.  As 
though  she  had  said.  It  is  manifest  that  he  is  no  God 
who  thus  leaves  thee.  Why  then  dost  thou  trust  in 
him,  and  dost  not  rather  deny  him,  and  so  curse  ■ 
him,  as  to  declare  thyself  to  be  that  kind  of  mortal  (rf.* 
whom  nothing  more  will  remain  after  death?  These 
and  the  like  things  each  ones  wife  (that  is,  the  flesh,) 
suggests  to  him  under  temptation  ;  for  the  fleshly  sense 
savoureth  not  the  things  that  be  of  God. 

We  are  to  observe,  however,  that  all  the  above- 
mentioned  blessings  are  corporal,  and  common  to  all 
men.  But  the  Christian  is  possessed  of  far  greater  inter- 
nal blessings :  that  is,  faith  in  Christ ;  concerning  which 
it  is  said.  Psalm  xlv.  "  The  king's  daughter  is  all  glo- 


16S 

rious  within,  and  her  vesture^  is  af  wrought  gold/'  And, 
as,  under  our  jfirst  view  of  evil,  we  observed,  that  no 
evil  that  a  man  feels  can  be  the  worst  of  the  evils  that  are 
in  him  ;  so,  no  Christian  can  feel  the  greatest  of  the  bless- 
ings that  are  in  him  :  for  if  he  could  feel  that,  he  would 
be  in  heaven :  because,  as  Christ  saith,  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  within  us. — To  have  faith,  is  to  have  the  truth 
and  the  Word  of  God ;  and,  to  have  the  Word  of  God, 
is  to  have  God,  the  author  and  doer  of  all  things.  Andj 
if  these  blessings  should  be  revealed  to  the  soul  in  all 
their  reality,  the  body  would  in  a  moment  be  dissolved 
by  the  overwhelming  power  of  the  sweetness.  Hence,  all 
the  other  blessings  which  we  have  mentioned,  are  but  as 
it  were  certain  monitors  of  those  blessings  which  we 
have  within,  of  which  God  would  have  us  put  in 
remembrance  bv  them  :  because,  this  life  could  not  bear 
the  revelation  of  all  our  internal  blessings :  and  there- 
fore, God  in  mercy  keeps  them  hidden,  until  they  shall 
come  unto  their  perfect  measure.  Thus  also,  affectionate 
parents  sometimes  give  small  and  trifling  gifts  unto 
their  children,  whereby  they  would  allure  their  minds 
unto  the  hope  of  greater  things. 

Nevertheless,  these  blessings  sometimes  discover 
themselves  and  break  forth,  when  the  gladdened  con- 
science rejoices  in  its  confidence  in  God,  speaks  of 
him  freely,  hears  his  Word  willingly  and  with  sweet- 
ness, and  finds  a  happiness  in  serving  him  by  doing 
good  and  bearing  evil,  &c.  All  which,  are  sure  evi- 
dences of  the  infinite  and  incomparable  good  that  is 
latent  within,  from  which  these  little  drops  and  streams 
thus  occasionally  bubble  forth.  And  sometimes  it  is  the 
case,  that  there  is  a  clearer  revelation  of  these  things 
made  to  contemplating  souls;  by  which,  they  are  so 
swallowed  up  that  they  know  not  where  they  are;  as 
St.  Augustine  and  his  mother  confess  it  was  with  them^ 
and  many  others  also. 


VOL.  II.  M 


134 


VIEW  II. 

OF  FUTURE  good;  OR,  THE  GOOD  WHICH 

IS  BEFORE  US. 

To  those  who  are  not  Christians,  little  consolali 
from  future  good  can  be  given  under  their  pres 
evils ;  because,  all  things  are  with  them  uncerta 
Though,  that  affection  which  men  call  hope,  will  mk 
a  great  noise  in  this  case :  by  which,  human  comfort 
call  upon  us  to  hope  for  better  things :  and  under  I 
influence  of  which,  we  are  continually  plotting  8 
planning  great  things  at  an  uncertainty,  yea,  aJwayi 
self-deception :  as  Christ  teaches  us  under  that  chan 
ter  mentioned  in  the  Gospel,  Luke  xii.  who  said  w\ 
soul,  "  I  will  pull  down  my  bams  and  will  bi 
greater.  And  I  will  say  unto  my  soul.  Thou  hast  JXA 
goods  laid  ,up  for  many  years :  take  thine  ease,  i 
drink,  and  be  merry.  But  God  said  nnto  him,  H 
fool,  this  night  thy  soul  shall  be  required  of  thee :  li 
whose  shall  those  things  be  which  thou  hast  provid 
So  is  he  that  layeth  up  treasure  for  himself,  and  is 
rich  toward  God." 

But  still,  God  does  not  so  leave  the  children  of  li 
as  not  to  console  them  even  with  this  iiope  of  aver 
the  evil  and  expecting  the  good.  And  although  t 
are  uncertain  as  to  future  things,  yet,  he  would  I 
them  hope  with  certainty,  that  they  may  in  the  m 
time  be  supported,  lest  they  should  not  be  able  tol 
their  present  evil,  and  should,  under  the  impulse 
despair,  be  driven  to  do  what  is  worse.  Wherefore,  < 
this  feeling  of  hope  is  the  gift  of  God;  not  thai 
would  have  them  rest  in  that  only,  hut  would  tho 
admonish  them  of  that  sure  hope  that  centres  in  bin 
alone.  For  God  is  of  such  long-suffering,  that  he  w 
•^  lead  men  to  repentance,"  as  it  is  said,  Rom.  ii.; 
does  he  suffer  all  to  perish  in  this  fallacious  hop 
once,  if  they  will  but  return  to  a  right  heart  and  a 
hope. 


15$ 

Christians .  however  have,  in  addition  to  these,  two 
other  especially  great  blessings,  to  the  enjoyment  vf 
which  they  will  certainly  be  brought ;  hut,  through  death 
and  sufferings.  (For  they  also  rejoice  in  this  comoiop 
uncertain  hope  of  seeing  their  present  evil  brought  to  911 
end,  and  the  contrary  good  increased.  Though  they 
entertain  that  hope,,  only  with  a  view  to  the  increasing  gjf 
their  great  good ;  which  is,  their  growing  in  the  truth  of 
Christ;  in  which  they  advance  day  by  day,  by  which 
they  live,  and  through  which  they  hope.)  —But,  as  I  have 
said,  Christians  look  forward  to  two  especial  blessings 
in  death* 

The  Jirst  is,  that  death  puts  an  end  to  the  whole 
tragedy  of  the  evils  of  this  life :  as  it  is  written,  **  Pre- 
cious in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  is  the  death  of  his  saints," 
£salm  cxvi.  And  again,  "  Wherefore  I  will  lay  me 
down  in  peace,  and  take  my  rest,"  Psalm  iv.  Hence, 
jvhen  death  overtakes  ihe  righteous  man,  he  sinks  into 
bis  rest ;  but  on  the  contrary,  death  is  to  the  wicked  the 
beginning  of  their  sorrows ;  as  one  saith,  *  The  death  of 
the  wicked  is  terrible;  and  evil  shall  overtake  the 
unri^teous  man  in  his  end.'  Thus  Lazarus,  who  in  this 
world  received  his  evil  things,  shall  be  comforted ;  and 
the  rich  man,  who  received  his  good  things,  shall  be 
tormented. 

Hence,  it  is  a  Iways  well  with  the  Christian,  whether 
he  live  or  die :  so  blessed  a  thing  is  it  to  be  a  Christian 
and  to  believe  in  Christ :  wherefore  Paul  saith,  Philip,  i. 
".  To  me  to  live  is  Christ,  to  die  is  gain."  And,  Rom. 
xiv.  "He  that  liveth,  liveth  unto  the  Lord;  and  he 
that,  dieth,  dieth  unto  the  Lord :  whether  therefore  we 
live  or  die,  we  are  the  Lord's."  This  security  hath  Christ 
obtained  for  us  by  his  dying  and  rising  again,  that  he 
might  become  the  Lord  both  .of  the  living  and  of  the 
dead,  and  able  to  ensure  our  safety  both  in  life  and  in 
death :  as  it  is  written.  Psalm  xxiii.  "  Though  I  walk 
through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  I  will  fear  no 
evil,vfor  thou  art  with  me." 

And  if  this  gain  by  death  does  not  move  us,  it  is  a. 
sign  that  our  faith  in  Christ  is  weak,  aj^d  does  not 

MS 


156  I 

traly  estimate  the  value  and  profitableness  of  death, 
nor,  as  yet,  believe  that  death  is  a  blessing;  because  it 
is  hindered  from  so  doing,  by  the  power  of  the  old 
man,  and  the  wisdom  of  the  flesh.  We  ought,  therefore, 
to  endeavour  to  attain  unto  the  knowledge  and  love  of 
this  blessing,  death.  And  it  is  indeed  a  great  thing 
when  death,  which  is  to  others  the  greatest  evil,  becomes 
to  us  the  greatest  gain.  But  if  Christ  had  not  obtained 
this  for  us,  what  would  he  have  accomplished  worthy  of 
the  great  sacrifice  of  himself?  His  work  was  truly  a 
divine  work,  that  he  wrought :  and  therefore,  it  need 
not  be  wondered  at,  if  it  made  the  evil  of  death  to  be  the 
greatest  of  blessings. 

Wherefore,  death  to  them  that  believe  is  dead,  and 
had  nothing  in  it  terrible  but  in  appearance  and  in  idea. 
Even  as  a  dead  serpent,  though  it  retains  its  former 
terrible  appearance,  is,  in  reality,  nothing  but  the  form  of 
a  serpent,  and  is  a  dead  and  harmless  evil.  Nay,  as, 
Numb.  xxi.  by  looking  on  the  brazen  serpent  which 
God  commanded  to  be  raised  up,  the  living  serpents 
died  ;  so,  our  death  dies  by  a  believing  and  steady  view 
of  the  death  of  Christ,  and  there  no  longer  remains  any 
thing  but  a  certain  form  of  death.  Therefore,  the 
mercy  of  God  holds  sweetly  before  our  eyes  these  beau- 
tiful figures,  that,  since  death  cannot  be  done  away  with 
utterly,  it  might  be  robbed  of  its  power,  and  reduced  to 
a  mere  form.  And  therefore  it  is,  that  the  scriptures 
call  it  a  sleep,  rather  than  death. 

The  other  blessing  in  death,  is,  that  it  not  only  puts 
an  end  to  the  penal  evils  of  this  life,  but,  (which  is  a 
much  greater  blessing,)  puts  an  end  to  f  ices  and  sins. 
And  it  is  this  that  renders  death  so  much  more  desirable 
to  believing  souls,  than  the  former  blessing  which  we 
have  just  mentioned.  For  the  evils  of  the  soul,  which 
are  sins,  are  beyond  all  comparison  worse  than  the 
evils  of  the  body :  which  would,  if  we  were  wise,  make 
death  most  desirable  to  us :  and  if  they  do  not  make  it 
so,  it  is  a  sign  that  we  do  not  yet  truly  feel  and  hate  the 
evils  of  our  soul. 

'  Since,  therefore,  this  life  is  most  perilous,  from  thai 


157 

slippery  ^1  sin  besetting  us  on  all  sides,  and  since  we 
cantiot  live  without  sin,  death,  as  an  infinite  blessing,  at 
once  delivers  us  from  these  perils,  and  separates  sin 
from  us  for  ever.  Hence,  the  Book  of  Wisdom,  chap.  iv. 
thus  expatiates  in  ^praise  of  the  righteous  man.  "  He 
pleased  God,  and  was  beloved  of  him :  so  that  living 
amongst  sinners  he  was  translated.  Yea  speedily  was 
he  taken  away,  lest  that  wickedness  should  alter  his 
understanding,  or  deceit  beguile  his  soul.  For  the 
bewitching  of  naughtiness  doth  obscure  things  that  are 
honest :  and  the  wandering  of  concupiscence  doth  under- 
mine the  simple  mind.  He,  being  made  perfect  in  a 
short  time,  fulfilled  a  long  time.  For  his  soul  pleased 
the  Lord :  therefore  hasted  he  to  take  him  away  from 
among  the  \Vicked." 

Hence,  through  the  mercy  of  God,  death,  which  is 
to  man  the  punishment  of  sin,  becomes  to  the  Christian 
the  end  of  sin.  and  the  beginning  of  life  and  righteous- 
ness. Wherefore,  he  that  loveth  life  and  righteousness, 
cannot  dread  death  which  is  the  way,  and  the  servant 
that  leadeth  unto  them,  but  must  of  necessity  love  it  : 
for  he  cannot  otherwise  come  unto  life  and  righteous- 
ness. And  let  him  that  cannot  love  death,  pray 
unto  God  that  he  might.  For  we  are  taught  to  say, 
*  Thy  will  be  done,'  because  we  cannot  do  it  of  our- 
selves, when  we  rather  fear  death  and  love  sin  than 
love  life  and  ri^teousness. 

And,  that  God  ordaineth  death  as  a  punishment  of 
sin,  may  be  collected  from  this, — that  he  imposed  death 
on  Adam  immediately  after  his  sin,  as  a  remedy  against 
sin :  and  that,  before  he  drove  him  out  of  Paradise : 
that  he  might  shew  us,  that  there  is  no  evil,  but  every 
good,  brought  unto  us  by  death:  seeing  that,  he  im- 
posed it  in  Paradise.  It  is  true  indeed  that  death, 
through  the  envy  of  the  devil,  entered  into  the  world : 
but  it  was  a  signal  movement  of  the  divine  goodness,  to 
prevent  death  thus  entered  in  from  hurting  us,  and  to 
arrest  it  and  ordain  it  from  its  very  beginning  as  a  death 
aiid  punishment  of  sin.  And  this  God  signified.  Be- 
cause^ as  he  had  before  declared  in  his  precept  that 


158 

Adam  should  die^  h^  did  not  afterwards  beep  ^ikm^ 
but  imfmediatelyiih posed  death  upon  faim,  and  execnteA 
the  rigour  of  hia  precepts :  but  afterwards,  he  neva 
mentioned  one  friable    about  death,   but   only  ta" 
"  Dust   thou   art,  and   unto   dust  shalt  thou  retunt! 
And,  '^  Until   thou  return   linto  the  ground^  for 
of  it  ^ast  thou  taken,"  Gen.  iii. :  as  though  he 
held  death  in  detestation,  and  would  not  deign  to  m 
tion  it:  according  to  that  which  is  written.  Psalm  xx^f 
**  For  his  anger  endureth  but  a  moment :  in  his  fav< 
is  life."    As  though  he  would  intimate,  that,  if  death " 
not  been  necessary  for  the  destruction  of  sin,  he  w 
neither  have  desired  to  name  it,  nor  even  to  know 
much  less  to  impose  it.    And  thus,  the  divine  indignrt 
tion  armed  none  other  against  sin,  which  had  brou^tW||!B 
death,  than  that  death  itself.    So  that,  herein  the  wohI# 
of  the  poet  are  verified. 

Know'st  thou  not. 


T   •« 


That  by  the  same  device  his  art  has  fram'd 
The  artist  falls  ? 


•I 


r 


— So,  sin  is  destroyed  by  its  own  fruit,  and  killed  bf. 
that  death  which  is  brought  forth,  even  as  the  viper  i§ 
destroyed  by  its  own  offspring. 

This  is  a  beautiful  view — to  see,  how  death  w 
destroyed,  not  by  another's  but  by  its  own  workj 
stabbed  by  its  own  weapon,  and,  like  Goliath,  has  its 
head  struck  off  by  its  own  sword.  For  Goliath  was  a 
type  of  sin,  being  a  giant  terrible  to  all,  except  tp  the 
stripling  David,  that  is,  to  Christ,  who  alone  laid  him 
prostrate,  and  struck  off  his  head  with  his  own  9 word; 
of  which  he  afterwards  said,  "  There  is  no  sword  likd 
it,"   I  Sam.  xxi. 

If  therefore  we  meditate  upon  these  glories  of  the 
power  of  Christ,  and  these  gifts  of  his  grace,  why.  shoakl 
fthy  small  evil  distress  us,  when  we  see  such  great 
blessings  in  that  great  evil  which  is  to  come  ? 


IS9 

*  .  • 

VIEW  III. 

OF   PAST  good;   or,  that  which  is  behind  us. 

The  consideration  of  this  good  is  easy  from  its  coor 
txBxj  view,  past  evil.  Let  us  however  assist  the  consir 
deration. 

In  this  particular  the  blessed  Augustine  was  wfdl 
experienced,  as  appears  from  his  Confessions,  where  he 
beautifully  rehearses  the  instances  of  God's  goodness 
to  him  from  his  mother's  womb.  The  same  also  does 
diat  remarkable  Psalm,  the  139th,  "  O  Lord,  thou  hast 
searched  me  and  known  me:"  where,  among  other 
things,  the  Psalmist,  viewing  with  wonder  the  providence 
of  God  over  him,  says,  "  Thou  understandest  my 
thoughts  long  before.  Thou  compassest  my  path  and 
art  acquainted  with  all  my  ways."  As  though  he  had 
said,  I  now  see,  that,  whatever  I  have  thought,  or  what- 
ever I  have  done,  and  whatever  I  shall  att«un  unto  or 
possess,  have  not  been,  and  will  not  he,  according  to 
any  industry  of  mine,  but  every  thing  is  ordaioed,  long 
before  it  takes  place,  by  thy  management;  and,  in  a 
word,  thou  knowest  all  my  ways  long  before,  "  For 
there  is  not  a  word  in  my  tongue,"— where  then  ?  In  thy 
power. 

These  things  we  learn  from  our  own  experience. 
Por,  when  we  take  a  view  of  our  past  life,  are  we  not 
astonished  at  our  having  thought,  wished,  done,  and 
said  such  and  such  things,  which  we  neither  could  fore- 
See  nor  premeditate?  How  far  differently  should  we  have 
acted,  had  we  been  left  to  our  own  freewill?  We  now 
therefore  first  begin  to  understand  and  to  see,  that  the 
management  of  God  and  his  care  over  us  were  so 
unceasing,  that  we  could  neither  speak,  will,  nor  think, 
but  as  he  permitted  us  so  to  do:  as  it  is  said,  Wisdom 
vii.  "  In  his  hand  are  both  we  and  our  words."  And 
Paul,  "  Who  worketh  all  in  all." 

Why  then  do  we  insensible  creatures,  and  hardened 
in  heart,  not  take  shame  to  oursdves;  who,  from  the 


160       ' 

teaching  of  our  own  experience,  see  what  an  anxi 
care  the  Lord  has  had  over  us  unto  this  hour,  and  whi 
numberless  blessings  he  has  conferred  upon  us,  and  yei^% 
cannot  commit  the  same  care  of  ourselves  to  him  undefier 
our  present  light  evil,  but  act  as  if  he  had  left  all  care  o^isli 
us,  or  as  if  he  would  do  it?  But  the  40th  Psalm  d 
not  so  speak,  "  I  am  poor  and  needy,  but  the  LcdBky^ 
careth  for  me."  Upon  which  words,  the  blessed  Augus*™ 
tine  has  these  remarks — ^  Commit  the  care  of  thyselflie 
unto  him,  who  had  the  care  of  thee  before  thou  camest|oi 
into  existence.  And  how  shall  he  not  take  care  of  thee, 
when  thou  art  now  that  which  he  has  willed  thee  to  be? 
But  we  want  to  hold  a  divided  empire  with  God.  We 
ascribe  to  him  the  honour  of'  having  made  us,  (though 
even  that  hardly  and  falteringly;)  but  we  arrogate  to 
ourselves  the  care  of  ourselves;  as  though  he  had  made 
us,  and  then  departed,  and  left  the  care  and  government 
of  ourselves  in  our  own  hands.' 

But,  if  our  own  wisdom  and  management  prevent 
us  from  seeing  this  care  of  God  over  us,  because  perhaps 
many  things  have  turned  out  according  to  the  plans  we 
have  formed:  then,  let  us  with  the  139th  Psalm  again 
look  into  ourselves. — "  My  substance  was  not  hid  from 
thee,  when  thou  madest  me  in  secret : "  that  is,  thou 
sawest  and  fonnedst  my  bones  in  the  womb  of  my 
mother,  before  I  had  existence,  and  when  my  mother 
knew  not  as  yet  what  was  forming  in  her. — "  And  cu- 
riously wrought  in  the  low  er  parts  of  the  earth : "  that  i?, 
the  figure  or  form  of  my  body,  even  when  in  the  secret 
recesses  of  my  mother's  womb,  was  not  hid  from  thee, 
because  thou  formedst  it. 

And  what  does  the  Psalmist  intend  by  these  words, 
but  to  shew  us  by  such  a  striking  example,  Mhat  a  care 
God  always  had  over  us  ?  For  who  can  boast  that  he 
had  any  thing  to  do  with  the  formation  of  himself  in  the 
womb?  Who  gave  his  mother  the  care  of  suckling,  che- 
rishing, loving,  and  performing  all  those  offices  of  a 
mother,  while  we  as  yet  had  no  knowledge  that  we  w  ere 
living  creatures?  Nay,  when  we  should  now  know^ 
nothing  of  all  these  instances  of  care,  (unlesa  it  were 


161 

^ttmi  seeing  the  same  pertbftned  on  dtHeris^  and  dience 
believing,' that  they  were  performed  on  us  also,)  nor 
bave  any  remembrance  of  them  ;  seeing  that,  they  were 
performed  on  us  none  otherwise  than  if  we  had  been 
asleep,  nay  dead,  or  rather  before  we  were  bom,  (as  far 
as  our  knowledge  of  them  is  concerned.)— Thus  we  see 
how  the  divine  mercies  and  consolations  attend  us 
without  our  having  any  thing  at  all  to  do  with  it.  And 
yet,  we  to  this  day  hesitate,  or  even  despair  of  trusting 
ourselves  unto  him. 

If  this  experience  does  not  instruct  and  move  any 
one,  I  know  not  what  will  instruct  and  move  him.  For 
we  see  this  experience  set  plainly  before  our  eyes  in  all 
the  infants  around  us.  And  therefore,  when  so  many 
examples  are  set  before  our  ignorance  and  hardness  of 
heart,  they  ought  to  put  us  to  the  greatest  shame,  if  we 
hesitate  to  believe,  that  any,  even  the  least  good  or  evil, 
can  happen  to  us  without  the  peculiar  permission  of  the 
care  of  God  over  us. 

Hence  Peter,  1  Epist.  v.  saith,  "  Casting  all  your 
care  upon  him,  for  he  careth  for  you."  And  Psalm  Iv. 
."  Cast  thy  burthen  upon  the  Lord,  and  he  shall  sustain 
thee."  And  the  blessed  Augustine  says  to  his  soul,  in  his 
Confessions,  'Why  dost  thou  lean  upon  thyself,  and 
thus  not  stand  at  all  ?  Cast  thyself  upon  him — he  will 
not  take  away  his  hand  and  let  thee  fall !'  And  again, 
1  Pet.  iv.  it  is  written,  "  Wherefore,  let  them  that 
suffer  according  to  the  will  of  God,  commit  the  keeping 
of  their  souls  to  him  in  well  doing,  as  unto  a  faithful 
creator." 

O  if  any  one  did  but  in  this  way  know  and  acknow- 
ledge his  God,  how  safely,  how  peacefully,  how  sweetly 
would  he  go  on !  Such  an  one  would  in  truth  walk 
with  God  :  knowing  for  a  certainty,  that  every  thing  that 
comes  upon  him,  was  brought  about,  and  took  place, 
according  to  his  all  sweet  will. 

This  word  of  Peter  stands  firm,  "  He  careth  for  us." 
And  what  word  can  we  hear  that  is  more  sweet.  There- 
fore, says  he,  **cast  all  your  care  upon  him."  And  if 
we  do  not  this,  but  will  be-  careful  for  ourselves,  what  do 


169 

we  dte  but  wdeavour  to  hinder  the<  ciBom  oi  God^ 
vender  onr  life  sorrowful,  full  of  labours,  and  dii 
with  many  fears,  cares,  and  tumults  r     And,  after  aUy. 
id' to*  no  purpose  whatever :  for  by  these  means  we 
no-  wholesome  progress,,  but,   as  the  Preacher 
"All  is  vanity  of  vanities"  and  "vexation  of  spiiit"(>| 
For  that  whole  book  speaks  of  this  kind  of  experienoej 
seeing  that,  the  author  of  it  tried  many  things  for  hish 
sdf,  but  found  in  all  that  he  did  nothing  but  labom^.j 
vanity,  and  vexation  of  spirit.     And  therefore  he  ceii^ 
eludes,  that  for  a  man  to  eat,  and  to  drink,  and  to  d6*> 
light  himself  in  his  wife,  is  the  gift  of  God  :  that  is,  tbafc. 
he  should  live  without  anxious  solicitude,  committifig 
the  care  of  himself  unto  God. 

Wherefore,  we  also  ought  to  have  no  other  solicitacb 
than  how  we  may  be  without  solicitude  conceroiog 
ourselves,  and  may  lay  hold  of  the  care  of  God  ovar  m^ 
and  rest  in  that. — And  what  may  be  said  farther  upon 
this  subject,  any  one,  as  I  have  said,  may  easily  find  bf , 
taking  a  meditative  view  of  his  whole  life  past. 

VIEW  IV. 

OF    THE    GOOD    FROM    BENEATH. 

We  have  hitherto  been  contemplating  the  good 
which  is  in  ourselves,  and  within  us.  Now  let  us  contem*  i 
plate  that  good  which  is  in  others,  and  without  us.  And  ; 
the  first  good  we  are  to  look  at,  is,  in  those  who  are  be* 
neath  us :  that  is,  who  are  dead  and  damned.  •  But  how 
wonderful  is  this,  that  any  good  should  be  found  from 
them  who  are  dead  and  damned  !  Such  however  is  the 
infinite  goodness  of  God  every  way,  that  he  gives  us  to 
see  blessings  even  in  the  greatest  of  evils. 

Let  us  then  first  compare  these  wretched  creatures 
with  ourselves,  and  we  shall  see  how  inestimably  great 
our  gains  are :  which  we  saw  also,  from  the  view  oppo- 
site to  this  in  our  first  part.  For,  as  many  evils  of  death 
and  hell  as  we  see  in  these,  so  many  blessings  we  vddi* 
out  doubt  enjoy :  and  our  blessings  are  the  greater,  m 


^pofdon  a$  their  evilf^  fare  the  gveaksr.  And  al)^  thps^. 
tti^gis  are  not  to  be  disregarded  with  a  levity  of  ixa«dy 
beoause  they  forcibly  represent  to  us  the  i»ost  g^oriouik 
m^xjy  of  God.  And  if  we  set  light  by  these  thingi*^; 
thete  is  danger  lest  we  for  our  ingratitude  be  found 
damfied  together  with  these,  or  more  terribly  tomiented.^ 
Because,  the  more  we  see  them  to  grieve  and  howl,  thci 
more  we  ought  to  rejoice  in  the  goodness  of  God :  ac- 
cording to  that  of  Isaiah  Ixv,  "  Behold,  my  servants 
shall  eat,  but  ye  shall  be  hungry ;  behold,  my  servsmt^ 
shall  drink,  but  ye  shall  be  thirsty :  behold,  my  servants 
shall  rejoice,  but  ye  shall  be  ashamed :  behold,  my  ser- 
vants shall  sing  for  joy  of  heart,  but  ye  shall  cry  for 
sorrow  of  heart,  and  shall  howl  for  vexation  of  spiritL 
And  ye  shall  have  your  name  for  a  curse  to  my  chosen." 
In  a  word,  as  I  said,  and  as  Gregory  observes  in  hia^ 
Dialogue,  *  The  examples  of  those  who  die  awfully, 
and  of  the  damned,  are  profitable  unto  us  for  admoni- 
tion and  sound  instruction : '  and, 

Happy  are  they,  who  Cfyition  gain 
From  that  which  caused  another's  pain. 

This  excellent  sentiment  has  little  effect  upon  us^ 
because  it  is  so  universally  known ;  whereas,  it  is  to  be 
numbered  among  the  greatest  of  truths,  and  is  held  in 
the  highest  estimatibn  by  those  who  have  a  feeling 
heart.  And  indeed,  it  is  upon  this  point  that  a  great 
part  of  the  holy  scripture  turns :  that  is,  where  it 
speaks  of  the  wrath,  judgments,  and  threatenings  of  God. 
Wiiich  most  wholesome  doctrines,  the  examples  of 
those  most  miserable  of  creatures  confirm  to  us ;  which 
examples,  then  first  produce  their  effect,  when  we  are 
brought  under  the  same  feelings  which  they  have,  and 
when  we  feel  ourselves  as  it  were  in  their  persons  and 
stead ;  for  it  is  then  that  they  will  admonish  us  ;  and  so 
admonish  us,  as  to  constrain  us  to  praise  the  goodness 
of  God,  who  has  saved  us  from  such  a  state  as  theirs. 

Let  us  next  compare  them  with  God  himself,  that 

"'we  may  see  the  divine  justice  displayed  in  them:  ahd 

although  this  be  difficult,  yet  it  is  to  be  attempted.  .  For, 


164 

as  God  is  a  jui}t  judge,  we  ou^t  to  love  and  praisefati 
justice.  And  moreover,  we  ought  to  rejoice  in  Go^' 
even  when  he  utterly  destroys  the  wicked  both  in  hodj 
and  soul :  because,  in  all  this  his  most  high  and  inefiaiw 
justice  shines  forth.  And  therefore,  even  hell  is  full  of 
God  and  of  the  greatest  good,  no  less  than  heaven. 
For  the  justice  of  God  is  God  himself;  and  God  is  die 
highest  good.  Wherefore,  as  is  his  mercy,  so  is  fail 
justice  or  judgment  also  to  be  most  highly  loved^ 
praised,  and  proclaimed. — In  this  sense  it  is  that  David 
says,  "  The  righteous  shall  rejoice  when  he  seeth  the 
vengeance :  he  shall  wash  his  feet  in  the  blood  of  the 
wicked,"  Psalm  Iviii.  And  for  this  cause  also  it  was, 
that  the  Lord  forbad  Samuel,  1  Kings  xvi.  to  mourn  for 
Saul  any  longer ;  saying,  "  How  long  wilt  thou  moam 
for  Saul,  seeing  I  have  rejected  him  from  reigning  over 
Israel  r "  As  though  he  had  said,  Does  my  will  so  dis- 
please thee,  that  thou  preferrest  the  will  of  men  to 
mine  ?  In  a  word,  this  is  the  strain  of  praise  that  runs 
throughout  the  Psalms — that  the  Lord  is  the  judge  of 
the  widows,  and  the  father  of  the  orphans  ;  and  that  he 
will  avenge  the  poor  and  judge  the  cause  of  the  needy, 
that  their  enemies  shall  be  confounded  and  the  wicked 
destroyed :  and  many  things  of  the  same  kind.  And  if 
any  one  with  an  ignorant  pity  will  condole  with  this  ge- 
neration of  bloody  men,  and  with  this  race  of  the  ungodly 
who  slay^the  righteous,  and  who  slew  the  Son  of  God, 
he  will  be  found  to  rejoice  with  them  in  their  iniquity, 
to  approve  the  things  that  they  do,  and  to  be  worthy  of 
perishing  together  w  ith  them  whose  sins  he  would  have 
to  go  unpunished:  and  he  will  hear  that  laid  to  his 
charge  which  is  written  2  Sam.  xix.  "  Thou  lovest 
thine  enemies  and  hatest  thy  friends."  For  this  is  what 
Joab  said  to  David  when  he  mourned  too  much  for  his 
son,  who  was  an  ungodly  murderer. 

Wherefore,  under  this  view,  we  are  to  rejoice  with 
all  the  godly  saints  in  the  justice  of  God,  who  most 
justly  punishes  the  persecutors  of  righteousness  that  he 
might  deliver  his  elect  from  them.  And  hence  you  i^ 
that  no  ^^mail  blessings,  but  the  greatest  of  blessing^i 


\05 

if^ne  fdlftlx  in  the .  dead  and  the  damned^r-nattiely,  the 
tqj[urie8  of  all  the  saints  avenged,  and  thine  also  together 
with  them,  if  thou  art  a  righteous  person. 

What  wonder  it  is  therefore,  if,  under  and  by  thy 
present  evil,  God  is  taking  vengeance  on  thy  enemy, 
that  is,  the  sin  of  thy  body  ?     Nay,  thou  oughtest  to  re- 
joice in  this  blessed  work  of  the  infinite  justice  of  God, 
which,  even  without  thy  requesting  it,  thus  kills  and  de- 
coys in  thee  thy  worst  enemy,  that  is,  sin.    If  therefore 
ftou  shouldst  condole  with  thy  body,  thou  wouldst  be 
found  an  enemy  to  the  justice  of  God  working  in  thee^ 
and  of  this  thou  oughtest  cautiously  to  beware,  lest  it 
should  be  said  unto  thee  also,  "  Thou  lovest  thine  ene- 
mies and  hatest  thy  friends."    And,  as  thou  oughtest 
truly  to  rejoice  with  the  justice  of  God  when  severely 
punishing  thy  sin ;  so,  thou  oughtest  to  rejoice  with  the 
some,  when  punishing  sinners  who  are  enemies  both  of 
God  and  men. — Thou  findest,  therefore,  that  the  greatest 
good  is  to  be  seen  in  the  greatest  evils ;  and  that  we  can 
rejoice  in  the  greatest  evils  ;  not  on  account  of  the  evils 
themselves,  but  on  account  of  the  infinite  goodness  of 
God's  justice  avenging  us  by  those  evils. 

VIEW  V. 

OF  THE  GOOD  ON  OUR  LEFT  HAND. 

Here  are  our  adversaries  who  are  still  in  this  life : 
(for  in  our  preceding  View,  we  considered  those  who 
are  damned  and  made  like  unto  the  devils :)  we  are  to 
look  upon  those,  therefore,  who  are  still  in  this  life  in  a 
different  manner.  The  good,  then,  that  is  in  them,  is 
twofold. 

Tihejirst  good  is,  that  they  abound  in  temporal 
blessings :  so  that,  even  the  prophets  were  almost  moved 
away  with  envy :  as  in  Psalm  Ixxiii.  "  But  as  for  me, 
my  feet  were  almost  gone:  my  steps  had  well  nigh 
flUpt  For  I  was  envious  at  the  foolish,  when  I  saw  the 
prosp^ty  of  the  wicked."  And  again,  in  the  same 
dbapter,  **  Behold,  these  are  the  ungodly  who  prosper  in 


166 

the  worki;  they  increase  in  riches.**  And  Jemtt 
eisoijchapter  xii.  ** Righteous  art  thou,  O  Lord,  when! 
plead  with  thee ;  yel  let  me  talk  with  thee  of  tby  jo^ 
inents :  Wherefore  doth  the  way  of  the  wicked  prosper? 
•they  are  all  happy  and  deal  very  treacherously." 

And  why  does  Ood  gratuitously  pour  out  and  lorn 
so  many  good  things  upon  them,  but,  that  he  piidit 
tx)mfort  us,  and,  shew  us  how  good  he  is  to  those  woo 
are  of  ti  right  heart  ?  as  the  same  73d  Psalm  saith.   And, 
if  God  is  so  good  to  the  evil,  how  much  rather  shaU  \m 
be  good  to  the  good  ?  Excepting  that,  he  never  tries  the 
wicked  with  any  evil,  but  he  tries  the  good  with  m 
evils ;  that  they  might  acknowledge  that  God  is 
not  only  in  their  present  blessings   that  they  receive 
from  him,  but  in  those  hiddea  blessings  that  are  yet  to 
be  revealed;   and  that  they  might  say  to  themsdva 
with  the  Psalmist,  in  the  same  Psalm,  "  It  is  good  fef  . 
me  to  draw  near  to  God  :  I  have  put  my  trust  in  th^ 
Ix>rd  God.**    As  though  he  had.  And  even  if  I  do 
truffer  any  thing  from  which  I  see  that  they  are  free,  yet,  1 
I  have  a  confidence  that  God  is  much  more  good  unto   ] 
me  than  unto  them. 

And  hence  the  visible  good  things  of  the  wicked,  aic 
to  us  an  encouragement  to  hope  for  those  good  things 
that  are  invisible,  and  not  to  be  moved  at  the  evils 
which  we  suffer.  Thus  Christ,  Matt.  vi.  bids  us  look 
at  the  fowls  of  the  air  and  the  lilies  of  the  field  :  saying, 
"  If  therefore  God  so  clothe  the  grass  of  the  field,  which 
to-day  is,  and  to-morrow  is  cast  into  the  oven,  how  mucb 
more  shall  he  clothe  you,  O  ye  of  little  faith?"  And 
therefore,  from  comparing  the  good  things  in  which  the 
wicked  abound,  with  the  evil  which  we  suffer,  our  faith 
is  exercised,  and  our  consolation  in  God  increased. 
Hence,  all  things  must  necessarily  work  together  for 
good  unto  the  saints. 

The  other  good,  (which  is  the  much  more  won* 
derful,)  is,  that  even  their  evils  are  blessings  unto  us, 
through  the  good  hand  of  God  upon  us.  For  althou^ 
their  sins  are  offences  unto  the  weak,  yet  they  are  to  me 
strong  a  cause  of  the  exertion  of  their  strength^  amji  an 


167 

ibcMioiiof  conflict  and  the  greater  ^oiy—^^^  Blessed  is 
ilie  man  that  endureth  temptation ".  for  when  he  is 
tried,  he.  shall  receive  the  crown  of  life/'  James  i.  And 
iAmt  greater  temptation  is  there,  than  that  multitude  of 
4lie  fiiost  wicked  examples  before  us?  In  a  word,  this 
world  is  especially  called  the  enemy  of  the  saints  of 
HBfod  :  because,  by  its  enticements  and  wicked  works, 'ft 
irritates,  provokes,  and  draws  us  aside  from  the  ways  of 
;Grod  to  their  ways :  as  in  Gen.  vi,  *^  The  sons  of  God 
maw  -the  daughters  of  men  that  they  were  fair — and  they 
^liecame  flesh."  And  Numb.  xxv. "  And  the  people  of  Israel 
committed  whoredom  with  the  daughters  of  Moab." 

So  that  it  is  necessary  for  us  to  be  always  tried  with 
aome  evil,  lest  we  should  be  taken  with  the  offences  of 
Ag  world  and  carried  away,  and,  through  weakness,  be 
Inrought  to  sin  with  them.    Hence  Lot  is  commended  by 
Peter,  1  Epist.  ii.  because  he  had  suffered  much  from 
'  Ifae  dreadful  examples  of  the  people  of  Sodom,  and  yet 
had  by  their  means  been  more  established  in  righteous- 
ness.     These  offences,    therefore,    must  of   necessity 
isome,  that  they  might  work  in  us  conflict  and  victory  : 
but,  **  woe  unto  the  world  because  of  offences  !"  If  then 
Gad  work  so  much  good  in  us  by  means  of  the  sins  of 
ediers,  how  much,  ought  we  to  believe  with  our  hearts, 
he  will  work  in  us  by  means  of  our  own  evils,  even  though 
sense  and  the  flesh  may  judge  directly  the  contrary  ? 

Nor  does  the  world  bring  us  less  good  from  the 
other  side  of  its  evils  :  that  is,  its  adversity.  For  those 
whom  it  cannot  incorporate  with  itself  by  its  allure- 
ments, nor  devour  by  its  offences,  it  endeavours  to 
drive  away  by  sufferings,  and  to  frighten  by  the  evils  of 
punishment :  thus  ever  attempting,  either  to  ensnare  by 
the  examples  of  sin,  or  to  exasperate  by  the  tortures  of 
punishment.  The  world,  therefore,  is  our  chimaera,  with 
ft  fair  virgin's  head,  a  fierce  lion's  body,  and  a  deadly 
aerpent's  tail.  For  the  end  of  the  world,  both  of  its 
piwsare  and  its  tyranny,  is  poison  and  death  eternal. 

. :  As  therefore,  God  makes  us  to  see  our  own  good  in 
dltisias  of  the  world ;  so,  that  its  persecutions  might  not 
te-irttii'iuid'iisdess,  they  are  so  ordained  of  God  to- work 
Ae  incvMse  of'OHlr  good,  that,  by  the  very  means  whereby 


s 


i 


168 

they  hurt  us,  they  are  compelled  to  do  us  good :  as 
blessed  Augustine  saith  concerning  the  children  whidi 
were  murdered  by  Herod,  *  He  never  would  have  beai 
able  to  do  so  much  good  by  his  favour,  as  he  did  by  hi} 
hatred.'  And  the  blessed  Agatha  went  to  the  prison^i^ 
joicing  as  much  as  if  she  had  been  going  to  a  feast;  and 
spoke  after  this  manner,  *  If  thou  dost  not  cause  my 
body  to  be  well  bruised  by  thy  executioners,  my  sm 
cannot  enter  into  Paradise  with  the  palm  of  victorjf;. 
even  as,  a  grain  of  wheat,  if  it  be  not  well  threshed  and. 
beaten  out  of  its  husk  upon  the  threshing-floor,  is  not 
gathered  into  the  barn.' 

But  why  do  I  dwell  on  these  less  important  remarks, 
when  we  see  that  the  whole  scripture,  the  sayings  and, 
writings  of  all  the  fathers,  and  the  lives  and  actions  of 
all  the  saints  agree  in  this  point:  that  those  who  the 
most  injure  believers,  are  the  most  profitable  unto  them^ 
if  those  injuries  be  rightly  profited  by.  As  Peter  6aitb« 
1  Epist.  iii.  "  And  who  is  he  that  can  harm  you  if  yf. 
be  followers  of  that  which  is  good  ?"  And  Psalm  Ixxxix. 
"  The  enemy  shall  not  exact  upon  him,  nor  the  son  of 
wickedness  afflict  him."  But  how  shall  he  not  hurt  him 
when  he  often  even  kills  him  ?  Because,  by  hurting  him 
he  works  his  greatest  gain ! — Hence  we  see,  that,  we 
live  in  the  midst  of  good,  if  we  were  but  wise ;  and  yet 
in  the  midst  of  evils  ;  and  therefore,  all  things  are  won- 
derfuUv  tempered  together  by  the  overruling  goodness 
of  God. 

VIEW  VI. 

OF    THE    GOOD    ON    OUR    RIGHT    HAND. 

This  is  the  church  of  the  saints,  the  new  creation  of 
God,  our  brethren  and  friends ;  in  whom,  we  see  nothing 
but  good,  nothing  but  consolation ;  not  however  with  our 
fleshly  eyes,  for  thus  seen  they  belong  to  the  opposite 
View  of  evil ;  but  with  our  spiritual  eyes ;  though  even 
those  good  things  in  them  that  are  seen  by  our  fleshly 
eyes  are  not  to  be  rejected,  but  we  are  to  be  comforted 
in  God  even  by  them.  For  the  73d  Psalm  dared  n6t -to 
condemn  all  who  have  riches  in  this  world ;  but  saith, 


160 

^;If  I  say  I  will  Bpeak  thus;  bdiold/ 1 /should  offimd 
gainst  the  generation  of  thy  children : "  that  is,  if  i 
hoold  say  that  all  were  wicked  men  who  are  rich,  wise, 
tAd  in  honour,  I  should  condemn  thy  saints,  many  of 
ivpom  are  such.  And  Paul  also  exhorts  Timothy, 
t  £pist.  vi.  '^  to  charge  them  that  are  rich  in  this  wmM 
liat  they  be  not  high-minded ; "  thereby,  not  forbidding 
DDCQ  to  be  rich,  And  the  scriptures  represent  Abraham, 
Isaac,  and  Jacob,  as  rich  men.  Again,  Daniel  and  his 
sMipanions  are  said  to  have  been  in  honour.  Moreover, 
many  of  the  kings  of  Judah  were  saints.  Therefore  the 
7Sd  Psalm,  having  its  thoughts  turned  towards  these, 
fBith,  '^  If  I  say  1  will  speak  thus ;  behold,  I  should 
^end  against  the  generation  of  thy  diildren." 

'  God,  I  say,  bestows  .an  abundance  of  these  good 

dlings  upon  his  people  for  the  consolation  of  themselves 

and.  others.  But  these  are  not  their  proper  good  things : 

shy;  daey  are  but  a  mere  shadow  and  figure  of  them  : 

Ifaeir  proper  blessings  are  faith,  hope,  love,  and  other 

gaces  and  gifts :  all  which  become  common  by  love.— ^ 

Tbis  13  the  communion  of  the  saints  in  which  we  glory. 

And  who  that  believes  may  not  here  ^ry  even  in  the 

midst  of  evils,  for  this  is  really  the  case :  namely,  that  the 

blessings  of  all  the  saints  are .  hfe,  and  that  fais  evil  is 

theirs.  This  is  a  most  sweet  and  blessed  view ;  which 

the  qpostle  sets  forth.  Gal.  vi.  in  these  words,  ^^  Bear  ye 

<me  aliother  s  burdens,  and  so  fulfil  the  law  of  Christ. 

And,  is  it  not  a  good  to  know  this, — that,  if  one 
member  suffer,  (as  it  is  written  1  Cor.  xii.)  all  the  other 
members  suffer  with  it?  and  that,  if  one  member  be  glo^ 
rified,  all  the  othei:  members  rejoice  with  it  ?  Therefore, 
when  I  suffer,  I  do  not  suffer  alone,  but  Christ  and  all 
Christians  suffer  with  me :  as  he  saith,  ^^  He  that  toucheth 
you,  toucheth  the  apple  of  mine  eye."  Thus;  otheirs.  bear 
my  burthen  and  they  are  my  strength ;  .the  faith  of  the 
dburcfa  props  me  up  when  trembling ;  the  purity  of  others 
bears  my  temptations  of  lust ;  the  fkstin^  of  others  sxt 
my  feast ;  and  the  prayers  of  others  are  engaged  on  my 
beWr.  And,  in  a  word,  each  member  is  mqtuafiy  $on- 
cnmcd  for  ^hejotherf  so  that  the  moi:e  comely  aiiirm:^ 

VOL.  II.  N 


170 


? 


m 


I 


ft 


c 


I 


ben  evea  defedd,  preserve,  and  hcnxmr  the  less  com^; 
as  the  apostle  b^ntifiilly  describes  it,  1  Gor.  xii.  And 
hence,  I  can  truly  glory  in  the  good  diings  of  others,  ai 
if  they  were  my  own :  and  they  are  then-  truly  my  ow% 
if  I  rejoice  in  them  and  am  gladdened  by  them.-  TUxaSyl 
•Bm  vile  and  filthy,  but  those  whom  I  love  and  wMi 
whom  I  rejoice  are  comely  and  beautiful.  By  whidl 
love,  I  make  not  only  their  blessings,  but  the  persoiii 
themselves,  mine:  and  therefore,  under  their  honoor 
my  uncomeliness  will  be  honoured,  and  my  need  will  be 
supplied  by  their  abundance. 

Who  mea  may  not  rejoice  under  sufferings,,  wfaa  \b 
he  no  longer  bears  his  own  sufferings,  or,  if  he  (foes  bMl 
them,  does  not  hear  them  alone,  being  helped  bj  m 
many  holy  children  of  God,  and,  in  a  word,  by  Christ  him* 
self?  So  great  a  matter  is  the  communion  of  the  sainti^  k 
and  so  great  the  church  of  Christ!  And  if  any  one  does  r 
not  believe  that  these  things  are  so,  and   thus  tsfefe  : 
place,  he  is  an  unbeliever,  and  denies  Christ  and  tfe 
churdi! 

This. is  what  is  meant  in  these  words,  '  I  believe  in 
the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Holy  Catholic  Church.'    What  ii 
bdieving  in  the  holy  catholic  church,  but  believing  in  tbi 
communion  of  saints  ?   And,  in  what  have  the  *  sainits 
communion  ?   In  all  things  good  and  evil !   All  thingt 
belong  to  all !    Who  can  hurt  one  of  the  smallest  mooEi- 
bei!s  of  the  body,  without  causing  the  whole  bodv  to  i 
suffer  ?  What  pain  can  the  extreme  joint  of  either  of  the  i 
toes  sufier,  which  the  whole  body  does  not  feel  ?    WhA  $ 
relief  can  be  given  to  a  toe  that  does  not  comfort  the  ji 
whole  body  ?  So,  we  are  one  body.   Whatever  another  i 
suffers,  I  feel  and  suffer  also.  What  blessing  soever  is  con^  \ 
ferred  on  another,  is  conferred  on  me  also.  ThoSi  Christ  - 
says,  that  whatsoever  is  done  unto  the  least  ei  his^  is  . 
dcoie  unto  him.   Who,  receiving  the  Itest  cnunb  of  die 
biead  of  the  altar,  is  not  said  to  partake  of  the  bread  of 
the  altar?   Who,  despising  one  crumb  of  it,  is  not  said 
to  despise  the  bread  ! 

Hence  if  we  be  in  pain,  if  under  suffering,  if  in  die 
conflict  df  death,  let  us  turn  our  eyes  to  this,  and  firndy 


» . 


/. 


171 

believe  and  be  assured,  that  we  are  not  alone,  but  that 
Christ  and  the  church  are  in  pain,  under  suffering,  aiMi 
in  the  conflict  of  death  with  us.    For  Christ  did  not  wish 
that  we  should  tread  that  path  of  death  alone,  which 
every  man  shudders  at;  but  willed  that  the  whole  church 
should  accompany  us  in  the  path  of  suffering  and  death; 
land  that  the  church  should  bear  the  greater  part  of  that 
which  we  had  to  endure.    So  that,  we  may  truly  apply 
that  to  ourselves  which  Elisha  said  to  his  fearful  servant, 
8  Kings  vi.,   '^  Fear  not :  for  they  that  be  with  us  are 
more  than  they  that  be  with  them."    And  when  Elisha 
fnyedy  and  said,  ^^Lord,  I  pray  thee  open  his  eyes 
that  he  may  see,"   ^^  The  Lord  opened  the  eyes  of  the 
young  man,  and  he  saw :  and  behold  the  mountain  was 
full  of  horses  and  chariots  of  fire  round  about  Elisha." 
So  also  all  that  we  have  to  do,  is,  to  pray  that  our  eyes 
may  be  opened,  that  we  may  see  the  church  standing 
fpund  about  us ;  that  is,  the  eyes  of  our  faith ;   and 
then  we  shall  have  nothing  to  fear.  As  it  is  written  in  the 
ISith  Psalm,  ^^  As  the  mountains  are  round  about  Je- 
rusalem, so  the  Lord  is  round  about  his  people,  from 
henceforth  even  for  ever."  Amen ! 

VIEW  VIL 

OF    THE    GOOD    FROM    ABOVE. 

I  do  not  now  speak  of  those  eternal  and  celestial 
flood  things  which  the  blessed  enjoy  in  the  open  vision  of 
€rod,  or  at  lecist,  I  only  speak  of  them  in  faith.  This  se- 
venth View,  therefore,  is  Jesus  Christ  the  King  of  Glory 
rising  from  the  dead !  even  as  it  was  he  in  his  sufferings, 
death,  and  burial,  that  formed  our  seventh  View  of  evil. 
Here  we  may  behold  the  highest  joy  our  hearts  can 
know,  and  firm  and  lasting  good !  There  is  nothing 
whatever  of  evil  here :  ^^  for  Christ  being  risen  from  the 
dead  dieth  no  more,  death  hath  no  more  dominion  over 
bim,"  Rom.  vi*  And  Christ  was  bom  for  us ;  and  not 
only  that,  but  given  unto  us.  Wherefore,  his  resurrec- 
tion is  mine,  together  with  all  things  that  he  wrought  by 
hb  resanection.  For,  as  the  aposSe  in  the  height  of  his 

n2 


172 

glorying  saith^  Rom.  viii.,  ^^  How  shall  he  not  with  him 
also  freely  rive  us  all  things  ?  "  .    " 

What  then  did  he  accomplish  by  his  resurrection?— 
''  He  made  an  end  of  sin,  and  brought  in  everlasting 
righteousness ! "  He  took  away  death  and  restored 
life !  He  vanquished  hell,  and  procured  eternal  gloiy! 
These  are  such  inestimable  blessings,  that  the  mind  of 
man  scarcely  dares  believe  that  they  are  freqjy  bestowed 
upon  him :  even  as  Jacob,  Gen.  xlv.  when  he  heard  thai 
his  son  Joseph  was  governor  of  Egypt,  being  as  one 
awakened  from  a  deep  sleep,  did  not  believe  what  was 
told  him,  until,  in  confihnation  of  their  repeated  asse^ 
tions,  they  shewed  him  alj  the  waggons  that  were  sent 
by  Joseph. — So  truly  difficult  is  it  to  bdieve,  that  such 
great  things  are  treasured  up  for  us  unworthy  creatoies. 
in  Christ,  unless  he  reveal  himself  to  us  his  poor  disci- 
ples by  many  words  and  many  manifestations.  For  it  is 
by  these  "  waggons,''  that  is,  use  and  experience,  tluit 
fae  At  length  teaches  us  thus  to  believe. 

The  most  sweet  of  these  "  waggons  **  is,  imleed, 
tiiat  he  is  made  unto  us  ^^  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanc- 
tification,  and  redemption,"  as  the  apostle  saith  1  Cor.  L 
For  I  am  a  sinner :  but  I  am  carried  in  his  righteous- 
ness, which  is  freely  given  unto  me.  I  am  unclean: 
but  his  sanctification  is  my  holiness,  in  which  I  am 
sweetly  carried.  I  am  a  fool :  but  his  wisdom  carries 
me.  1  am  condemned :  but  his  liberty  is  my  redemp- 
tion, which  is  a  waggon  that  carries  me  in  perfect 
safety.  So  that  the  Christian,  if  he  did  but  believe  it, 
may  glory  in  the  merits  and  all  the  riches  of  Christ,  as 
if  he  nimself  had  wrought  them ;  for  they  are  peculiariy 
his.  So  that  he  may  now  in  safety  dare  to  desire  the  time 
when  he  shall  stand  in  the  judgment  of  God,  whidiy 
otherwise,  is  not  to  be  endured. 

So  great  a  thing  is  faith,  such  blessings  does  it 
bring  in  with  it,  and  such  glorious  sons  of  God  does  it 
make  us !  For  we  cannot  be  sons,  unless  we  inherit  our 
Father's  possessions.  The  Christian,  therefore,  may  say 
with  confidence,  "  O  death,  where  is  thy  sting !  0 
grave,  where  is  thy  victory !  The  stins  of  death  is  siiif 
and  the  strength  of  sin  is  the  law.     But  thanks  be  to 


173 

God  which  giveth  us  the  victory  through,  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  1  Cor.  xv.  Who  then  conquered  these 
two?  Our  righteousness  ?  Our  life?  No!  It  was  Christ 
rising  agam  from  the  dead,  condemning  sin  and  death, 
finely  giving  us  his  righteousness,  freely  putting  his 
merits  to  our- account,  and  laying  his  hand  upon  us. — It 
fa  thus  that  we  are  in  safety,  that  we  fulfil  the  law,  and 
are  the'  conquerors  of  sin  and  death:  for  which,  be 
honour,  praise,  and  thanksgiving,  unto  God  for  ever  and 
ever,  Amen ! 

This  then  is  our  last  View :  under  which,  we  are 
raised  not  only  above  our  evil  things,  but  above  our 
good  things :  and  we  who  before  lay  under  evils  pro- 
cured by  the  sin  of  another  and  increased  by  our  own 
sinSy  now  sit  resting  in  the  blessings  of  another  and  pro- 
cured by  another's  labour.  We  sit  resting,  I  say,  in  that 
righteousness  of  Christ  whereby  he  is  righteous,  because 
we  cleave  unto  it  by  faith :  by  the  which  righteousness 
he  pleaseth  God,  and,  as  a  Mediator,  intercedes  for  us, 
making  himself  wholly  ours  as  the  best  of  priests  and 
the  best  of  advocates.  As  therefore  it  is  impossible  that 
Christ  should  not  please  God  by  his  righteousness  ;  so 
it  is  equally  impossible  that  we  should  not  please  God 
l^  our  faiui  whereby  we  cleave  unto  that  ri^teousness. 
Whence  it  is  seen,  that  the  Chrisdaxiis  omnipotent,  the 
lord  of  all  things^  the  possessor  of  all  things,,  abl&to 
effect  all  things^,  and  wholly  without  sin.  And  if  he  still 
have  sins,  yet,  they  cannot  hurt  him,  for  they  are  for- 
given him  for  the  sake  of  the  all-conquering  and  sin- 
drowning  righteousness  of  Christ  on  which  his  &ith  is 
stayed  ;  finnly  believing,  that  Christ  is  to  him  what  we 
have  just  described  him  as  being.  For  he  that  does  not 
believe  is  deaf  to  all  that  has  been  said,  knows  not 
Christ,  nor  understands  the  benefits  of  him,,  nor  how  to 
make  use  of  him. 

,  Wherefore  this  View  only,  without  any  other,  may, 
if  truly  entered  into,  anoint  us  with  such  consolation  as 
to  constrain  us,  not  only  to  cease  from  grieving  at  our 
evils,  but  also  to  glory  in  our  tribulations  from  the 
fblness  of  the  joy  which  we  have  in  Christ,  and  to  feel 
nothing  of  those  evils  at  all.    In  which  glorying,  may 


174  - 

Christ  the  Lord  our  God  himself  mstnict  us ;  who  » 
Wessed  for  ever,  Amen ! 

With  these  few  .  thoughts  of  mine^  most  illustrious 
Prince,  which  are  the  best  testimony  ,of  my  willingness 
to  ^erve  you  that  my  poverty  will  allow  me  to  give,  I 
commend  myself  to  your  Highness ;  being  ready  t6 
serve  you  in  greater  things,  whenever  power  shall  be 
given  me  according  to  the  desire  of  my  spirit.  For  I 
shall  ever  be  a  debtor  to  every  neighbour,  and  especially 
to  your  most  illustrious  Highness :  whom,  may  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  long  preserve  among  us,  and  at  last 
by  a  happy  end  take  unto  himself.    Amen ! 

Your  most  illustrious  Highness* 

devoted  servant, 
Maetin  Luther. 


POSTSCRIPT  OF  MARTIN  LUTHER. 

This  treatise  I  wrote,  at  the  beginning  of  my  minis- 
terial career,  to  that  most  excellent  Prince,  Frederic 
Duke  of  Saxony,  when  he  was  dangerously  sick ;  and 
many  wished  it  to  be  published.  But,  from  goinj 
through  various  publications,  it  was  so  corrupted  am 
mutilated,  that  I  found  many  words  wanting ;  nor  could 
I  myself  tell  what  those  words  were  when  the  treatise 
was  first  written.  I  have,  however,  restored  the  sub- 
stance of  the  sentences,  and  made  them  what  I  believe 
they  were  at  the  first.  But  I  have  not  even  now  altered 
and  pruned  them  as  I  might  have  done.  Because  in  this 
treatise  I  wish  to  make  my  "  profiting  appear,"  and  to 
gratify  the  gain  say  ers,  that  they  might  have  an  oppor- 
tunity of  venting  their  malice.  For  it  is  enough  for  me, 
if  I  please  Christ  my  Lord  and  his  saints.  And,  that  I 
am  hated  by  the  devil  and  his  scales,  I  rejoice  from  my 
very  heart  and  give  thanks  unto  God. 


^RATA  IN  THE  TESSERADECAD. 

Fftge  1^  line  5,  /or  ThirringS   read  ThOiunga* 
-*«   ibid,  little  6,  ^   ffismm         —    Mismia. 


/ 


t 


Msxiixi  Hiitlftnr 


ON  THB 


«  LAST  WORDS  OF  DAVID. 
2  Samuel  xxiii.  l — 7. 


PREFACE: 


M.  GeORGB  RORARY  TO  THE  GODI,Y  ReADEE, 

*  «     ■  ' 

GREETING. 

I  COULD  not,  godly  reader,  avoid  commending  this 
work  to  thee,  (which  without  doubt  is  of  itself  accept- 
able,) the  more  especially  on  this  account, — because,  it 
was  the  last  of  the  doctrinal  writings  of  the  author, 
Martin  Luther  of  pious  memory ;  and  because  it  was 
the  last  labour  of  that  most  learned  translator,  and 
most  holy  man,  Caspar  Cruciger. — ^Thus,  it  seems  as  if 
the  very  title  anti  matter  of  the  work,  "  The  last  words 
of  David,"  brou^t  with  them  the  signal  for  death, 
which  came  both  upon  the  author  and  the  translator* 
immediately  after  the  work  was  finished. 

With  regard  to  Luther,  indeed,  the  event  followed 
the  signal  somewhat  later.    He  died  on  the  18th  of  Fe- 
bruaiy  1546,  the  third  year  after  this  work  was  pub- 
lished. But,  with  respect  to  Cruciger,  his  death  followed 
immediately  upon  his  finishing  the  translation.    For  at- 
though  he  was  exceedingly  ill  tor  many  months,  and  de- 
bilitated in  body  from  most  excruciating  pains  in  his  in- 
testines, yet,  he  still  persevered  in  his  version  of  this 
work,  and  finished   the  greater  part  of  it  during  his 
illness,  and  revised  and  corrected  it  when  finished.  And 
this  is  wonderful  to  us  in  two  respects :  first,  that  his 
life  should  be  spared  so  long,  when  all  the  powers  of  his 
body  were  destroyed  and  exhausted  by  the  violence  of 
the  disease:  (the  faculties  of  his  senses  and  mind  ex- 
cepted, which  remained  in  all  their  acuteness  and  per- 

*  The  original  was  written  by  Luther  in  German^  and  trans- 
lated from  the  German  into  Latin  by  Cruciger. — It  is  from  the 
Latin  that  the  present  translation  is  derived. 


J 


178 

fection  to  his  latest  breath :)  and  then,  that  he  shoidc 
have  strength  of  body  under  all  that  weakness  a« 
excruciating  pain,  to  go  through  the  labour  of  refereoo 
and  writing. — But  however,  as  soon  as  he  had  put  lb 
finishing  stroke  to  his  translation,  which  he  did  wid 
expressions  of  joy ;  the  day  after,  by  a  peaceful  depar 
ture  as  one  falling  asleep,  he  was  csuled  out  of  this  M 
where  he  had  usemlly  served  the  church,  unto  the  etmi 
church,  and  to  the  all-sweet  enjoyment  of  God,  and  o 
our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  toother  with  tfai 
of  the  prophets  and  apostles,  and  of  David,  Lutbef 
and  all  the  saints.  Hepce,  it  would  appear,  that  he  win 
thus  gifted  of  God  with  strength,  and  had  his  life  Mi 
longed  just  that  time,  that  he  might  translate  into  ql 
Latin  tongue  the  whoje  of  this  most  useful  and  nee 
sary  work  of  Luther,  (wherein,  from  "  The  last  woid^ 
David  "  he  has  piously  and  learnedly  set  forlfe  the 
natures  in  Christ  and  his  offices,)  thatjt  might  be 
also  by  all  the  churches  beside  the  German. 

W  herefore,  godly  reader,  embrace  this  work 
grateful  heart,  and  enjoy  with  all  gladness  t&e  iWiJIf 
bour^  of  those  great  men  David,  Luther,  and  .CfOpgJI 
and  their  last  confession  concerning  the  Son  of  (jQD  ' 
Messiah  and  our  Saviour,  which  they  made  against 
the  power  of  persecutors  and  the  corruptions  of  <" 
deceivers.  And,  together  with  us,  pray  the  eternal 
the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  he  w 
preserve  this  great  light  of  his'  own  doctrine  in 
church,  at  this  day,  in  all  its  bri^tness :  and  that  )| 
would  long  preserve  among  us  the  other  godly  teacb^ 
that  are  left,  and,  after  them,  raise  up  other  burning  W 
shining  lights,  who  may  ward  off  and  dispel  that  ctefi 
ness  of  the  ^*  last  days"  of  the  world,  which  aie  l| 
much  to  be  feared ! — Farewell ! 

mttemberg,A,D.  1549. 


« 


THE 

^'  LAST  WORDS   OF   DAVID. 

2  Sam.  xxiii.  1  —7. 


99 


Now  these  be  the  last  words  of  David.  David  the  son 
of  Jesse  said  J  the  man  that  was  confirmed  concerning  the 
Messiah  of  the  God  of  Jacobs  sweet  in  the  Psalms  of 
of  Israel,  said, 

The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  spake  by  me,  and  his  word 
sounded  on  my  tongue.  ITie  God  of  Israel  said,  the 
the  Rock  of  Israel  ^ke  to  me:  he  that  is  a  Just 
ruler  amofig  men,  ruhng  in  tht  fear  of  God.  And  h€ 
shall  be  as  the  Ught  of  the  morning,  when  the  su» 
ariseth,  even  as  a  momifig  without  clouds;  when  the  tender 
grass  springeth  out  of  the  earth  by  the  clear  shining  after 
rain.  For  my  house  is  not  so  before  God:  because  he 
himself  hath  made  with  me  an  everlasting  covenant,  or- 
dered  in  all  things  and  sure.  But  the  sons  of  Belial  are 
all  of  them  as  thorns  destined  to  be  thrust  away,  which 
cannt^  be  gathered  with  hands.  But  the  man  that  shall 
pluck  them  out  must  be  fenced  with  iron  and  spears; 
so  that  they  shall  be  utterly  burned  with  fire  in  their 
own  place. 

[This  is  Luther's  own  version  of  the  oripnal  Hebrew:  which 
the  present  Translator  has  been  very  particular  in  giving  correctly 
and  fiterally :  because  the  ar^ruments  and  matter  of  the  whole  Treatise 
depend  upon  it.]  


INTRODUCTION. 

St.  Jerom  affirms,  that  he  felt  a  great  inclination  to 
undertake  at  once  a  translation  of  the  books  of  the  Old 
Testament  from  the  Hebrew  into  Latin;  because  he 
saw,  that  we  Christians  were  held  up  to  derision  by  the 


180 

enemies  of  Christ ;  who  said  that  those  Books  which  in 
then  had  among  us,  and  which  were  then  received 
and  read  in  the  churches,  were  not  genuine  and 
but  that,  in  many  words  and  syllables  and  letters 
them  were  read  differently  from  what  they  were  in 
Hebrew  originals. 

The  same  circumstances  also,  (that  is,  many 
being  found,  in  that  version,  which  is  ascribea  to 
SEVENTY,  and  which  was  commonly  used  in  the 
churches,  to  differ  from  the  Hebrew  originals,)^  u 
on  many  others  before  Jerom,  such  as  Aquila, 
tion,  ana  Origen  to  the  same  desire  of  publishing 
versions.   So  that,  at  last,  the  versions  of  six  translai 
were  collected  and  read  together ;  and  it  was  called 

HEXAPLA.  ^ 

After  the  same  manner  also,  in  this  our  day,,  ncff 
versions  have  begun  so  to  increase  and  multiply^  witfa||[ 
a  few  years,  that  it  seems  as  if  there  never  would  be 
end  to  them,  but  that  we  .should  at  length  have 
many  editions  of  the  Bible,  (which  was  the  case  also 
those  former  times,)  as  there  may  rise  up  strijd&iir 
teachers  and  novices  of  this  cast,  who  shall  persuan 
themselves  that  they  have  some  great  knowledge  of  thQ 
Hebrew  tongue. 

And  thus  it  must  be,  that  after  them  other  inttf: 
preters  will  be  sought  for ;  because,  we  pay  so  muck 
respect  to  the  calumnious  judgments  of  the  Jews  cOBr 
ceming  our  Bible.  Whereas,  they  themselves  so  mis^ar 
biy  lacerate  and  alter  the  Bible  >by  their  various  anj 
differing  interpretations,  their  grammatical  distinctioav 
and  their  punctuations,  that,  if  we  were  to  follow  tfadr 
interpretations,  we  should  have  no  Bible  at  all  that  east- 
tain^  one  sure  and  harmonizing  text  clear^  expressed 
and  understood.  Because,  each  one  of  the  Uabbins  wiH 
have  his  interpretation  received  in  preference  to  all 
others.  But  why  should  we  have  no  pure  Bible  at  al^ 
you  will  ask  ? — Because  they  themselves  are  compelled 
to  confess,  that  they  in  many  places  do  not  understand 
the  meaning  of  their  own  words.  So  far  is  it  from  pda- 
i^ibility  that  they  should  give  a  pure  and  harmoaiziiig 


181 

,^  exposition  of  the  Bible,  even  with  respect  to  the  grani;^ 
matioal  sense,  (to  say  nothing  about  the  spiritual  sense^ 
for  of  that  they  are  altogether  ignorant.) 

Wherefore,  I  pay  no  regard  whatever  to  their  ca- 
villings'; nor  do  I  consider  their  judgment  of  so  much, 
consequence,  as  to  induce  me,  on  that  account  only,  to 
learn  the  Hebrew  tongue.  And  I  can  give  a  sound 
reason  for  the  principles  on  which  I  act.  — It  is  certain 
that  we  who  are  Christians  are  in  possession  of  the  true 
mind  and  sense  of  the  Old  Testament  scriptures,  and 
also  of  the  doctrine  of  the  New  Testament :  that  is,  we 
have  the  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  was  promised 
in  the  prophetic  scriptures,  and  was  afterwards  mani- 
fested, and  brought  with  himself  tlie  true  light  and  un- 
derstanding of  the  scriptures :  as  he  saith  John  v.  46., 
^*  Had  ye  believed  Moses,  ye  would  have  believed  me : 
for  he  wrote,  of  me."  And  Luke  xxiv.  44,  "  AH  things 
must  be  fulfilled  which  were  written  in  the  law  of 
Moses  and  in  the  Prophets,  and  in  the  Psalms,  cbncem- 
ihg'tae."  And  again,  verse  45,  "  Then  opened  he  their 
«ycs  that  they  might  understand  the  scriptures." 

Here  is  then  the  grand  turning  point :  on  this  all 
depends :  in^  this  all  centres.  And,  he  that  does  not 
truly  know  or  desire  to  know  this  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  whom  Christians  preach, 
such  an  one  is  to  be  persuaded  to  abstain  altogether 
from  the  books  of  the  Holy  Scriptures.  For  he  cannot 
but  run  against  them  in  every  part,  till  at  last  he  be- 
comes blind  and  enfuriated,  and  rushes  headlong ;  and 
that  the  more  terribly,  the  more  determinately  he  applies 
himself  to  the  reading  of  those  scriptures.  And  such 
an  one  may  indeed  be  called  a  Jew,  a. Turk,  or  a 
Scythian ;  or,  if  he  like,  a  Christian. — For,  mark  what  • 
it  was  that  precipitated  the  Arians,  the  Manichees,  the 
Pelagians,  and  other  followers  of  heresies  £i.mong  us  into 
■errors  and  destruction?  What  was  there  wanting  to 
them  that  is  necessary  unto  the  true  reading  of  the 
scriptures  ?  What  can  the  whole  tribe  belonging  to  the 
Pope  complain  of  as  wanting  to  them  ?  Have  they  not 
(I  am  not  now  speaking  of  the  Old  Testament,)  have 


they  not,  I  say,  a  reading  of  the  books  of  the  New  Testify 
ment  sure,  perspicuous,  and  clearer  than  the  li^i. 
And,  what  is  now  wanting  to  the  authors  of  new  sects  i| 
this  day  ?  Have  not  these  also  the  opportunity  of  read- 
ing the  doctrine  of  the  Gospel  most  surely  and-  deolf 
delivered  in  the  books  of  the  New  Testament?  Andye^ 
they  fully  manifest  that  they  neither  hold  it  nor  undef^ 
stand  any  thing  about  it. — ^Are  we  then  to  suppon 
that  a  new  version  of  the  New  Testament  also,  ever  mt^' 
or  is  now,  necessary,  just  to  suit  the  fanatical  caprice  gjf 
the  mad  whims  or  dreams  of  some  one  brain  or  anoAgr 
that  is  driven  to  and  fro  by  Satan?  If  this  be  the  caa^ 
what  end  will  there  be  to  such  new  interpretations,  0t 
where  will  their  number  stop? 

Wherefore,  if  I  were  allowed  to  have  my  choksti 
either  of  retaining  the  intrepretation  and  sentiments  ef 
Augustine  and  other  pure  writers  like  him,  (which  wonU 
be  retaining  the  mind  of  the  apostles),  and  being  withoult 
that  in  which  he  was  deficient,  (for  he  sometimes  erMd 
from  the  meaning  of  certain  Hebrew  letters  and  words);; 
or,  of  abiding  by  the  sure  and  clear  interpretations  gf 
the  Jews,  as  they  would  call  them,  (but  which  they  them- 
selves are  compelled  to  confess,  do  not  agree  in  all 
things),  without  the  understanding  of  Augustine,  and 
such  other  of  the  ancient  commentators ;  it  id  easy  Uf 
judge  which  I  should  choose. — I  would  bid  an  eternal 
farewell  to  the  Jews,  and  send  them,  together  with  their 
interpretations  and  points  to  letters,  to  that  place  to 
which  they  ought  to  be  consigned.  And  I  know  I 
should  remain  on  the  side  of  eternal  life*  For  althou^ 
Augustine  (for  example),  did  not  understand  the  word 
KiKAiON,  Jonah  iv.  6,  which  he  rendered  *  cucumber;' 
and  again,  although  he  did  not  know  that  the  Hebrew 
words,  Haggai  ii.  7,  signified  "  the  desire  (hemda)  of 
all  nations  shall  come,"  and  rendered  the  passage  thus, 
not  very  wide  of  the  meaning,  "  The  desired  of  all 
nations  shall  come ;"  yet,  by  these  trifling  errors  his  faith 
was  neither  overthrown  nor  in  peril ;  for  that  still  hdd 
fast  hold  of  the  true  anchor  of  his  salvation ;  that  is,,  of 
iiim  who  is  '^  the  way,  the  truths  and  the  life^"  concemio^ 


IBS 

whom  ail  the  prophets  prophesied,  and  to  whom,  as  it  is 
said  Acts  x.  48,  "  they  all  gave  witness." 

Whereas,  the  Jews,  bemuse  they  do    not  receive 
Christ,  are  never  able  to  arrive  at  the   knowledge  of 
Moses  and  the  prophets,  nor  to  an  understanding  of  their 
ttieaning :  that  is,  what  the  true  doctrine  of  faith  is,  what 
/die  law  requires,  and  what  the  examples  and  historical 
events  recorded  in  the  scriptures  teach.     And  yet  they 
Itave  the  whole  scripture,  and  it  is  sounded  forth  in  their 
"•ynagogues  every  day.     But  thus  Isaiah  prophesied  of 
inem,  chap.  xliv.  18 ;  that  it  should  be  with  them  as  if 
Ik  book  were  put  into  the  hands  of  one  who  could  not 
read ;  who,  althou^  he  should  see  the  figure:^  of  the 
letters,  and,  as  the  Germans  say  in  a  proverb,  should  see 
ibe  '  furrows  of  the  black  corn-field  ploughed  upon  the 
white  surfece,'  yet  would  not  know  what  these  letters  or 
sentences  meant,  nor  what  they  expressed,  and  would 
p^  over  them  without  the  least  mental  understanding. 
Whereas  one  that  knew  how  to  read  and  was  in  the 
habit  of  reading  quickly,  would  catch  the  sense  of  the 
scriptures  by  just  turning  over  the  leaves,  and  perhaps 
while  doing  something  else  at  the  same  time  ;  nor  would 
he  be  at  all  prevented  from  getting  at  the  sense,  even  if  a 
few  letters  or  words  should  escape  him  here  and  there  ; 
and  such  an  one  would  receive  the  whole  contents  of  a 
great  portion  of  the  scripture,  while  the  other  was  finding 
oat  the  meaning  of  one  word  or  syllable.     So  also,  one 
fliat  is  an  excellent  singer,  will  run  over  all  the  notes  of 
the  tune,  which  are  written  down  in  the   same  way  as 
letters;  before  another,  who  is  unacquainted  with  the 
musical  characters,  will  find  out  the  meaning  of  those 
first  characters,  of  the  tune  which  are  placed  at  the  be- 
^ning,  and  which  are  as  it  were  the  directions  and 
guides  to  the  whole  tune,  and  are  therefore  called  keys. 

See  how  the  case  stands  with  Nicholas  Lyranus,  a 
pious  man,  a  good  Hebraist,  and  a  faithful  interpreter. — 
What  an  excellent  work  does  he  undertake  when  he  re- 
fates  the  corruptions  of  the  Jews  in  the  Books  of  the  New 
Testament?  But  on  the  other  hand,  how  frigid,  how  futile 
b  that  same  man,  while  he  follows  his  Rabbi  Solomon  r 


184 

How  little  does  he  say  to  the  parpose,  thou^  he.  h» 
before  him  the  pure  Hebrew  text,  without  any  ambigaityt 
And  yet,  he  is  by  far  the  most  faithful  tad  pure  inter^'. 
preter,  and  far  before  all  the  antient  and  modem  Ikk 
braists,  who,  are  so  devoted  to  the  Rabbin9,  and  who 
studiously  follow  them.     In  a  word,  it  is  by  no  m< 
a  usefuT  service  to  the  church  to  introduce  among 
books  the  labours,  the  interpretations,  and  the  opii 
of  the  Rabbins  and  judaizing  grammarians.     All 
things  stick  too  closely  to  the  scriptures  alreculy,  wil 
bur  introducing  them  by  labour  and  study.      Fori 
superstitious  regard  to  the  letters  and  the  texf  that 
received  by  the  Jews,  and  a  dependence  on  their 
thorities  and  examples,  soon  bring  on  a  darkness  ; 
at  length,   the  true  sense  and  understanding  of 
scriptures    concerning  Christ  are  lost,  and  judai^ii 
imaginations  creep  upon  us  unawares  when. .  they  ou^t 
not.     And  this  I  have  observed  has  been  the  case  with 
all  interpreters,  no  one,  not  even  myself,  excepted. 

But,  in  a  word,  if  we  do  not  in  our  expositions  dirept 
all  our  labour  and  study  to  make  the  text  of  the  Scrip* 
ture,  as  far  as  it  is  possible  to  be  done,  agree  with  the 
sentiments  of  the  apostolic  writers  as  recorded  in  the 
New  Testament,  against  all  the  corruptions  of  Rabbin^ 
it  would  be  far  better  for  us  to  let  alone  the  study  erf  J 
Hebrew  altogether,  and  to  abide  simply  by  that  yersionl 
of  the  Bible  which  has  hitherto  been  received  and  use^^ 
(which  has  now  nearly  all  been  explained  and  illustrated'*' 
by  the  books  of  the  New  Testament,)  than  so  to  multip^  . 
new  versions  on  account  of  a  few  places  where  m 
Hebrew  text  is  different,  or  where  the  true  meaning  of ' 
certain  words  cannot  be  ascertained;  for. by  all  mese ^ 
versions,  nothing  is  produced  but  a  distraction  of  the ' 
memory  of  those  who  read  all  the  varieties  and  differ-  . 
ences  of  renderings,  and  a  hinderance  of  study ;  and  ; 
after  all,  the  passage  is  in  many  places  left  more  obscure  ' 
than  it  was  before. 

In  order  therefore  to  excite  attention,  after  the  ex- 
ample of  others,  I  have  taken  upon  me  to  give  ao 
£xposition  of  "  the  last  words  of  David."  This  howeyef 


185 

I  diaU  not  do  after  the  manner  Aat  I  have  adopted  in 
some  former  versions,  where  I  followed  Rabbins  and 
other  interpreters,  that  I  might  not  appear  to  set  myself 
up  for  the  only  wise  one ;  for  here,  I  have  resolved  to 
stand  by  my  own  judgment,  and  to  follow  the  leadings 
of  my  own  spirit.  And  if  there  be  any  one  whom  ihat 
does  not  please,  he  may,  for  what  I  care,  follow  that 
which  pleases  him  best.  I  know  this  is  not  the  first 
time  that  my  writings  have  not  pleased  all.  But  now, 
by  the  grace  of  God,  I  am  become  proof  against  the 
various  opinions  of  men.  Yet  still,  I  will  not  bind 
myself  by  a  determination  to  condemn  all  they  say  or 
write.  "  Let  every  man  prove  his  own  work."  Let 
him  look  to  it  what  he  builds  upon  that  foundation  that 
is  laid ;  let  him  look  to  it  whether  it  be  gold  or  wood, 
silver  or  stubble ;  for  the  day  shall  declare  it. 


EXPOSITION.  . 
Now  these  be  the  last  words  of  David. 

They  are  called  the  "  Last  words,"  because  he  thus 
spoke  them  as  testifying  that  he  wished  to  hold  them 
fast  unto  his  latest  breath,  and  to  die  and  depart  out  of 
'  this  life  in  the  confession  of  them,  seeing  that  they  are 
spoken  as  we  are  accustomed  to  speak  when  we  add  our, 
'  I  have  said  it ! '  ^  This  is  my  testimony  ! '  ^  Let  this  be 
recorded  and  established  for  ever ! '  For  these  are  not 
the  words  of  the  last  hour  of  the  life,  or  of  the  govern- 
ment of  David ;  but  the  words  of  his  ultimate  wishes, 
(as  we  say,)  or  of  his  last  will  and  testament ;  which 
he  would  ratify  by  his  death,  and  which  he  testifies  that 
he  would  have  to  be  observed  inviolably  even  after  his 
death.  It  is  such  a  will  and  testament  as  is  written  by 
the  testator  during  his  life,  and  after  which  he  can  and 
may  live  many  years,  and  during  that  time  say,  do,  and 
suffer  many  things,  while  the  written  will,  that  contains 

VOL.  II.  o 


196 

his  ultimate  wishes,  still  cemaios  fi)ced,  fatified,  and  « 

alterable. 

Thus  therefore  these  are  called,  and  rightly  calk 
"  the  last  words  of  David,"  which  he  wishes  to  hf 
that  power  and  force,  as  though  they  were  a  last  will  a 
testament  written  at  the  point  of  death ;  though  he  8 
and  did  many  things  afterwards  in  his  government,  i 
suffered  also  many  things ;  as  appears  from  the  sab 
quent  part  of  his  history,  where  his  numbering  of 
people  and  the  punishment  which  followed  it,  are 
corded ;  and  also  his  appointing  his  son  Solomon  as 
successor  to  the  kingdom,  and  giving  him  directi 
concerning  the  building  of  the  temple ;  his  taking  a 
him  a  young  Shunamite  virgin  that  she  might  warm  h 
because  he  had  abstained  from  the  rest  of  his  wi 
since  the  time  of  their  defilement  by  his  son  Absalon 

David  the  son  of  Jesse  said. 

How  humble  and  modest  a'  commencement ! 
does  not  boast  of  the  glory  of  his  nation  and-  of 
circumcision,  nor  of  his  virtues  and  sanctity  of  life, 
of  the  kingdom  given  to  him  from  above.  He  sim 
styles  himself  "  the  son  of  Jesse,"  as  though  he  ti 
some  private  person,  and  not  that  mighty  king,  y 
would  leave  behind  him  heirs  to  such  exalted  hopo 
He  is  not  grieved  at,  nor  ashamed  of,  the  very  hun 
birth  which  he  derived  from  his  father,  in  being  hoc 
a  parent  who  was  a  shepherd,  nor  of  having  been  h 
self  a  keeper  of  sheep.  Nay,  that  he  might  the  qc 
debase  himself,  he  himself  confesses  the  original  si| 
nature — that  he  was  born  in  sin  and  worthy  of  dej 
as  are  all  the  human  race.  And  all  this  was  because 
did  not  here  design  to  speak  of  his  own  glcwy,  but 
things  the  most  high  and  important ;  and  which  are 
far  above  all  human  things,  that  no  human  dignity, 
righteousness  or  holiness,  can  add  any  thing  to  the 
and  no  human  misery,  no  sin  or  even  death,  can  take  i 
thing  from  them. 

The  man  who  toas  confirmed  cmcerning  the  Mess, 
of  the  God  of  Jacoby  stpeet  in  the  Psalms  qjf*  Israel^  sa 


187 

Here  be  now  begins  to  lift  up  his  head  above  all  things 
id  to  glory  in  a  new  manner,  but  yet,  in  truth  and 
ithout  arrogance.  Here  you  hear  another  David,  far 
K)ve  David  the  son  of  Jesse.  This  glory  he  had  not 
r  nature  and  by  birth  as  hereditary ;  nor  did  he  imbibe 
in  his  father's  house,  from  education ;  nor  was  it 
quired  by  his  own  virtues,  industry,  wisdom,  or  regal 
)wer. — He  had  it  from  some  other  quarter.  He  received 
from  above  of  God.  For, "  a  man  can  receive  nothing, 
:cept  it  be  given  him  from  heaven,"  as  the  Baptist 
ith,  John  iii,  27;  he  cannot  receive  it  upon  the  grounds 
'  his  own  worthiness  or  merits.  This  gift,  therefore, 
'avid  exultingly  proclaims ;  and  for  this  benefit,  sings 
le  praises  of  God  and  gives  him  thanks  with  his 
hole  heart. 

What  then  is  that,  you  will  say,  on  account  of  which 
1  this  glorying  is  ?  David  saith  the  first  thing  is  this : 
-I  am  the  man  to  whom  the  Lord  has  surely  pro- 
ised  the  Messiah,  or  the  Christ,  of  the  God  of  Jacob  ! 
amely,  that  he  should  be  bom  of  me,  of  my  blood, 
'  my  posterity,  and  of  my  house !  And  of  that  I  am 
artain  and  fully  assured :  not  only  because  God  has 
remised  it,  who  is  true  and  faithful  to  his  Word  and 
innot  lie,  but  because  I  hold  that  promise  fast  by  a 
led  and  assured  faith,  and  rest  securely  on  it  without 
ny  doubt  whatever,  being  fully  persuaded  that  my  con- 
oence  will  not  deceive  me :  and  therefore  with  all  the 
Rist  of  an  unshaken  mind,  I  rest  in  the  Word  of  God. 
ind  being  thereby  anointed  with  real  gladness,  I  am  now 
feady  to  yield  all  obedience  to  his  will,  and  willing  to 
N  or  die,  or  to  do  or  suffer  any  thing.  For  I  know 
M  am  persuaded  where  this  life — this  spirit  will  remain. 
w  will  not  wander  in  darkness,  uncertainty,  and  doubt ; 
to  will  it  depart  unhappily  out  of  this  mortal  body. 
^^  I  know  that  I  have  the  sure  promise  of  God  con- 
'^^g  the  Messiah,  and  I  hold  the  same  in  an  un- 
^*aken  faith. 

,  The  Hebrew  word  H  UK  AM  can  hardly  be  rendered  byus 
•one  word.   Hieronymus  says  it  signifies  *  constituted,' 

o  S 


188 

nor  is  he  far  from  the  mark ;  for  it  signified  *  established,' 
^  certified,'  ^  confirmed.'  And  I  believe  the  author 
of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  referred,  and  alluded,  to 
this  word,  when,  in  his  description  of  "  faith,"  he  de- 
fined it  as  being  "  the  substance,"  (in  the  Greek 
Hupo STASIS,)  that  is,  a  firm  and  sure  confidence  or "j 
expectation,  resting  on  the  Word  of  God  as  a  firm  and 
immovable  foundation.  For  that  faith,  which  is  truly 
a  faith  in  the  Word  of  God,  ought  to  be  that  firmness 
and  stability  of  mind,  which  neither  shakes,  nor  wavers, 
nor  is  moved  from  its  point,  nor  trembles,  nor  looks  this 
way  and  that  with  anxiety ;  but  which  firmly  and  steadily 
rest  on  a  sure  and  immovable  foundation;  that  is  tte 
Word  of  God. 

The  same  Hebrew  word  is  found  in  that  passage  of 
Isaiah  xl.  8,  "  But  the  word  of  the  Lord  shall  stand  for 
ever."  For  the  primitive  word  is  lakom.  As  thou^ 
he  had  said,  *  The  Word  of  the  Lord  stands,'  *  stands 
firm,'  '  is  stable,'  ^  does  not  depart,'  *  does  not  shake/  \ 

*  does  not  fluctuate,'  'does  not  flee,'  *  does  not  slide,'  ^is  ■ 
not  frustrated.'  Wherefore,  when  this  same  Word  is 
truly  apprehended  by  faith,  the  heart  becomes  like  it, 
certain,  firm,  and  secure ;  and  stands  immovable,  erect, 
and  invincible  against  all  the  attacks  and  impressions  of 
temptations  from  the  devil,  death,  and  hell,  by  which  it 
may  be  assailed ;  and,  with  a  greatness  and  confidence, 
yields  not  to  evils,  but  the  more  and  more  boldly  with- 
stands and  bursts  through  them,  courageously  despising, 
and,  as  it  were,  looking  down  with  proiid  contempt  upon 
whatever  it  feels  to  attack  or  oppose  it,  or  to  cause 
doubt  or  distress. 

.  It  is  such  a  person  as  this,  that  is  termed  hukam, 

*  established ; '    and   as  you   may   say   '  substantiated,' 

*  confirmed,'  and  assured  passively ;  that  is,  fully  per- 
suaded; even  as  the  Word  of  God  is  sure  actively* 
Such  also  is  Paul,  where  he  says,  Rom.  viii.  38,  39, 
"  For  I  am  persuaded,  that  neither  death,  nor  life,  nor 
angels,  nor  principaHties,  nor  powers,  nor  things  pre-  [- 
sent,  nor  things  to  come,  nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  :- 


: 


c? 


> 


-     189 

Other  creature,  shall  b^  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love 
of  God,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus   our  Lord."     And 
again,  2  Tim.  i.  13,  "  For  I  know  whom  I  have  believed; 
and  am  persuaded  that  he  is  able  to  keep  that  which 
I  have  committed  unto  him  against  that  day."     And 
|he  same  is  written  2  Pet  i.  10,  "  Give  all  diligence  to 
;'make  your  calling  and  election  sure." 
^       Thus  David  is  here  rightly  called  hukam,  as  having 
c  also  a  sure  promise,  (which  was  given  also  to  the  pa- 
triarch Jacob,  Gen.  xlix.  10,  "  The  sceptre  shall  not 
.depart    from    Judah — until   Shiloh   come,"   &c.)   and 
/resting  upon  it  in  an  assured  and  firm  faith;  that  this 
Messiah  shall  surely  be  bom,  and  shall  manifest  himself, 
from  out  of  his  posterity.     For  this  promise  is  here 
repeated  to  David,  and  made  much  more  expressive 
■  and  manifest,  for,  leaving  out  all  the  rest  of  the  race  and 
..  femily  of  Judah,  it  pxoints  to  the  house  or  posterity  of 
David  only ; — tliat  the  Messiah  is  to  be  surely  expected 
from  that  family. 

But  you  must  here  bear  this  in  mind — that  this  as- 
surance in  which  David  says  he  stands,  or  is  hukam,  is 
to  be  referred  most  especially  to  the  divine  promise  itself. 
Because  there  is  a  difference  between  the  certainty  of 
4e  promise,  and  the  certainty  of  our  faith;  though  these 
two  must  always  go  together.     For  where  there  is  no 
promise  there  can  be  no  faith :  and  again,  where  there 
is  no  faith,  the  promise  is  in  vain.     But  our  faith  is  not 
always  sufficiently  firm,  but  is  sometimes  attacked  by 
temptation^,  and  becomes  languid,  and  oftentimes  well 
nigh  fails.     Whereas  the  promise,  as  being  the  eternal 
ind  immutable  decree  of  God,  stands  for  ever  fixed, 
inn,  and  immovable.     Hence,  it  is  in  respect  of  the 
promise  itself  that  this  honour  is  given  to  David,  when 
16  is  called  hukam,  or  '  fully  assured,'  because  he  has 
:he  sure  promise  made  unto  him ;  though  he  could  not 
ipprehend  and  hold  fast  that  promise  but  by  faith,  for 
iaith  there  must  be. — But,  so  far  concerning  this  first 
particular. 

He  now  goes  on  glorying,  and  adds,  "  Sweet,  or 


190 

pleasuit,  in  the  Psalms  of  Israel.'^    As  thoi]g)[i  be 
author  of  the  Book)  had  said,  he  did  not  keep 
sure  promises  concerning  the  Messiah,  (as  has  , 
before  observed,)  in  private,  or  to  himself  only,    J(q^ 
the  faith  that  he  had  is  not  an  inactive  principle,       ~ 
happy  in  itself  only,  but  exerts  and  lays  itself  out 
it  were  for  the  benefit  of  others ;  and  by  its  voice 
confession,  openly  proclaims  this  great  kindness  of  G 
that  others  also  may  be  won  to  believe  and  becoi 
partakers  of  such  a  blessing.    Nay,  that  he  might  t 
also  his  own  joy,  he  says,  that  he  meditates  beau 
and  sweet  Psalms,  and  makes  pleasant  and  gladdeni 
melody,  that  he  might  therein  celebrate  the  praises 
God  and  render  him  thanks. 

Thus  therefore  he  piously  glories  that  he  has  comp 
also  noble,  sweet,  and  delightful  Psalms  concerning  tl 
promised  Messiah,  that  they  might  be  sung  as  songs 

?ublic  thanksgiving  in  the  assembly  of  the  people 
srael,  which  Psalms  were  then  generally  accusto 
to  be  sung,  and  in  which  also,  besides  those  praises 
the  divine  goodness,  wonderful  prophecies  and  sec 
doctrines  were  delivered  to  that  people  and  explained; 
And  moreover,  an  advantage  was  derived  from  this  W 
ginning  and  example  of  David  in  composing  Psalms,  ifli 
tnis  respect, — many  others  afterwards,  being  gifted  with! 
the  true  light  and  a  spirit  of  prophecy,  pursued  this 
method,  and  themselves  also  composed  Psalms  after  the 
same  manner;  and  even  in  the  time  of  David  there 
existed  the  Sons  of  Core,  Heman,  Asaph,  and  others. 

And  these  Psalms  are  called  delightful  and  "  sweet,* 
not  from  the  sweetness  of  their  composition  or  beauty 
of  expression,  nor  from  the  harmony  of  their  numbers 
or  tunes  when  sung,  which  things  please  the  ear  only, 
and  are  what  are  called  grammar  or  music,  that  is,  when, 
during  the  time  of  their  being  sung,  that  which  is  called 
the  text,  or  the  tune,  or  the  notes  and  sounds  themselves 
of  the  musical  harmony,  have  a  particular  elegance  or 
sweetness.  But  they  are  called  "  sweet,"  much  rather 
on  account  of  the  peculiar  grace  and  sweetness  of  the 


191 

f^^  doctrine  and  spiritual  consolaticm  which  they  ccMltaiil : 
5p/  evea  as  Paol^  Ephes. v.  19,  exhorts  that  "hymns  and 
j,>  spiritual  songs"  be  sung  in  the  churches  with  grace. 
,p  In  this  grace  and  sweetness  the  Psalms  of  David 
J  especially  abound,  and  have  a  wonderful  power  and 
ji,  efficacy  in  comforting  afflicted  minds  and  consciences 
(:  which  are  struggling  with  the  terrors  of  sin,  with  the 
fear  and  dread  of  death,  or  with  any  other  kind  of 
trouble.  To  such,  the  Psalms  are  wonderfully  sweet, 
delightful,  and  full  of  consolation;  because  they  sing  of 
and  predict  the  Messiah,  even  when  the  words  them- 
selves are  read  without  any  music  or  singing.  But  yet, 
the  musical  art  adds  much  to  their  sweetness,  as  being 
a  wonderful  work  and  gift  of  God ;  especially  when  in 
a  large  assembly  they  all  sing  with  a  becoming  gravity , 
and  devotion.  So,  it  is  said  of  Elijah,  2  Kings  iii.  15, 
that  when  a  minstrel  was  brought  unto  him,  (wha  no 
doubt  was  one  that  sung  the  Psalms  in  the  public  assem- 
bly, according  to  the  manner  instituted  by  David,)  the 
spirit  of  prophecy  was  revived  in  him.  And  David  also 
himself,  playing  on  his  own  harp,  often  drove  the  "  evil 
spirit"  from  Saul  when  it  came  upon  him,  or  certainly 
repressed  it,  1  Sam.  xvi.  23.  For  that  terrible  spirit 
cannot  bear  the  Word  of  God  when  preaqhed  or  sung 
in  true  faith.  He  is  a  spirit  that  is  the  author  of  pertur- 
bation and  dejection  of  mind,  and  cannot  remain  where 
the  heart  is  in  the  spirit,  that  is,  engaged  with  God  and 
the  Word  of  God,  and  joyful  and  happy  therein.  Thus 
Antony  the  eremite  said,  that  the  devil  is  tortured  by 
the  spiritual  joy  and  gladness  of  the  godly. 

But,  David  does  not  call  these  Psalms  his  Psalms, 
but  "  the  Psalms  of  Israel : "  nor  does  he  claim  them 
as  his  own,  or  arrogate  them  to  himself  as  an  honour  due 
to  him :  but  he  will  have  them  received  on  the  authority 
of  Israel,  that  is,  of  the  church,  and  considered  as  the 
psalms  of  the  church :  that  is,  he  would  in  this  way 
unite  himself  with  the  church,  and  acknowledges  her  as 
the  great  teacher  and  mistress  :  and  would  acknowledge 
that  this  gift  was  bestowed  upon  him  for  her  benefit 


/ 


19^ 

and  through  her  ministry.    And  by  this  he  woold  a 
testify,  that  he  retained  that  confession  of  d 
which  was  delivered  in  the  church  downward  from 
first  fathers,  and  which  he  himself  also  had  received 
from  her ;  and  that  he  brought  forward  and  approved 
of  no  other  kind  of  doctrine,  than  that  which  is  hel 
forth  in  the  church,  who  alone,  it  is  certain,  holds  the 
true  Word  of  God.    For  it  is  of  the  utmost  impoi 
to  know  whether  or  not  the  people  of  God,  or 
church,  approve  by  its  judgment  any  doctrine  or  p 
that  is  publicly  brought  forward,  or  will  give  it  sanction 
for  the  Holy  Spirit  must  necessarily  be  in   such  ao 
assembly:  whom  all  in  the  church  ought  certainly  to 
acknowledge  and  venerate. 

And  it  is  in  this  same  way  that  we  now  speak  of  oar 
poems  and  authors  of  hymns.    Thus,  Ambrosius  com- 
posed many  excellent  hymns  for  the  church,  and  these 
are  now  called  the  Canticles  of  the  church :  because  the 
church  approves  them,  as  being  agreeable  to  the  doc-  j 
trine  of  the  Gospel :  and  therefore,  she  uses  them  as  ^ 
though  composed  by  herself.    For  we  are  not  accus-   * 
tomed   to  say   *  Ambrosius,  or  Gregory,   or  Prudai* 
tius,  or  Sedulius,  sings  so  and  so,'  but,  *  The  church 
sings  so  ^nd  so.'     That  is,   those  canticles   are  now 
become  the  property  of  the  church,  which  the  <:hurch 
together  with  them,  and  they  together  with  the  churchy  i 
sing  in  common;    and  because,  though  they  are  now 
dead,  the  church  still  retains  the  same  canticles. 

In  the  same  manner,  therefore,  David  would  have  . 
his  hymns  called  the  "  Psalms  of  Israel :"  that  is,  of 
the  church  of  God ;  because  the  same  spirit  which 
composed  them  by  David,  still  continues  to  sing  the 
same  in  his  assembly  after  David  is  dead.  And  herein 
he  acknowledges  the  judgment  of  the  church,  because  it 
approves  these  Psalms  as  its  own.  And  without  doubt 
David  then  well  knew  by  the  Spirit,  that  this  Book  (rf 
Psalms  would  live  and  remain  in  the  church  as  long  as 
any  Israel  or  people  of  God  should  exist :  that  is,  unto 
the  end  of  the  world.    And  so  we  see  them  to  remain 


19S 

to  tbB  dvf ,  aad  going  oo  to  icbud  unto  our  pQ6t&- 
y.  WhevefiDre  diey  are  josthr  called  "« the  Psalms  of 
lad,"  or  of  the  Gfamdi  of  God. 


The  Sfirit  of  tkt  Lard  spake  by  ar,  ami  his  Want 
msds  am  wof  Urngrnc 

Hete  he  exahs  hinwdf  in  a  wonderful  manner, 
id  as  it  were  soais  od  hi^  towards  the  heavens,  and 
leaks  of  things  so  great,  diat  I  woold  that  I  may  but 
i  able  to  come  up  to  their  magnitude  in  any  small 
^ree.  For  in  these  words  he  at  the  rery  outset  embraces 
lat  most  sublime  article  of  the  doctrine  of  faith  and 
mfesston, — die  wonderful  mystery  of  the  three  Persons 
1  the  Godhead ! 

For,  first,  he  doquoitly  makes  mention  of  the  Per- 
m  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  ascribes  unto  him  all  that 
le  prophets  ever  prophesied ;  when  he  says,  that  it  B-as 
[ie  "  Spirit  of  the  Lord "  that  spoke  by  them,  even  as 
■  was  he  that  spoke  by  hina  also.  And  so  also  Peter, 
nth  reference  to  this  scripture  and  others  like  it,  saith, 
that  no  prophecy  came  by  any  human  will,  but  that 
K>ly  men  of  God  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the 
loly  Ghost.'  And  in  the  Nicene  Creed,  it  is  thus 
nng  concerning  the  Holy  Spirit,  *  Who  spake  by  the 
vophets.'  And  thus  also,  here,  are  attributed  to  him 
he  very  opening  of  the  holy  scriptures,  and  the  whole 
tf  the  ministry  of  the  Word  and  sacraments  which  are 
isibly  set  forth,  and  which  strike  and  move  our  ears  and 
Buses.  For  Christ  himself  ascribes  his  voice  to  the 
loly  Ghost,  when  he  says  out  of  Isaiah,  Luke  iv.  18, 
The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  God  is  upon  me,  because  he 
ath  anointed  me,"  &c.  And  again  it  is  said,  Matt.  xii. 
8,  out  of  Isaiah  xli.  "  Behold  my  servant  whom  I 
ave  chosen — I  will  put  my  Spirit  upon  him."  And 
gain,  Luke  i.  S5^  "  The  Holy  Ghost  is  said  to  over- 
^dow  Mary:  that  is,  to  work  effectually  in  her  and 
ause  her  to  be  fruitful :  so  that,  Christ  may  truly  be 
ailed  the  Son  of  God,  conceived  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

And  how  great  an  honour  is  it,  how  proud  (yet  holy) 
I  boasting,  when  one  has  confidence  thus  truly  to  glory, 


194 

that  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  speaketh  by  him,  and  that 
fa^  mouth  and  tongue  sounds  forth  the  Word  of  the 
Spirit !  Such  an  one  must  necee^arily,  and  indeed  have 
the  most  certain  testimonies  of  his  office  and  ministry. 
Such  an  one  must  be,  not  David  the  son  of  Jesse,  that 
is,  as  he  was  born,  a  sinner  and  ignorant  of  God ;  but 
it  must  be  that  David,  who,  by  the  Spirit  of  Grod,  and 
by  the  promises  made  unto  hitn,  was  raised  up  to  bet 
prophet.  And  will  not  such  an  one  sing  ^^  sweet 
Psalms,"  when  he  has  such  a  teacher,  who  teaches  him 
inwardly  and  speaks  by  him  outwardly  ? 

Here,  therefore,  "  he  that  hath  ears  to  hear  let  him 
hear." — My  words,  saith  be,  are  not  mine.  He  that 
heareth  me,  heareth  not  me,  but  the  Spirit  of  God,  yea, 
God  himself.  He  that  despiseth  me,  despiseth  God  who 
speaketh  in  me.  For  I  see,  even  now,  that  there  will 
be  many  of  my  posterity  who  will  not  hear  my  worda^ 
nor  understand  this  my  glorying ;  and  that,  to  their  own 
great  and  eternal  ruin  ! — But  we  are  not  permitted  thus 
to  glory,  nor  any  one  else  who  has  not  a  prophet's 
calling  and  gifts.  Nay,  it  is  a  blessed  thing  for  us,  when 
we  are  so  far  favoured  as  to  become  saints  and  to  have 
the  Spirit  of  God,  and  when  we  may  glory  i  nbeing  the 
catechumens,  as  it  were^,  and  the  disciples  of  the 
prophets^  that  is,  when  we  receive  the  doctrine  deli- 
vered by  the  prophets  and  apostles,  and  follow  them  nsi 
the  great  heralds  that  speak  the  voice  of  heaven ;  when 
we  speak  no  other  things  than  what  we  have  received  . 
and  learnt  from  those  teachers;  and  when  we  oaa 
assuredly  boast  in  this,  as  being  the  very  and  true  doctrine 
of  the  patriarchs  and  the  prophets.  For  the  scripture 
calls  such  the  "  sons  of  the  prophets : "  that  is,  those  who 
do  not  bring  forward  any  new  or  peculiar  Wnd  of  doc* 
trine,  (which  is  the  office  of  the  prophetic  vocation  only,) 
but  who  spread  abroad  that  same  doctrine  which  tbey 
have  received  from  the  prophets.  These  are  the  real 
Israel ;  or  certainly  a  part  of  that  assembly  to  whom 
David  signifies  that  he  delivered  his  Psalms. 

The  God  of  Israel  saidy  the  Rock  of  Isf^ael  spake  to 


195 

t:  he  that  is  a  jtist  ruler  amor^  men^  ruling  in  the 
or  of  God. 

You  have  now  heard  three  speaking.  Just  before, 
»avid  said  that  the  Spirit  of  God  spake  by  his  tongue ; 
id  there,  there  is  clearly  set  before  us  Christians,  the 
erson  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  For  what  the  Mahometans 
•  Jews  or  others  believe  or  believe  not,  is  nothing  to 
\  We  know  that  to  the  Holy  Spirit  is  ascribed, 
xrording  to  the  scriptures  and  the  confession  of  our^ 
reed,  the  work  of  speaking  with  us  in  the  church  by 
le  prophets,  apostles,  and  other  teachers  or  ministers ; 
ad  that  he  is  effectual  in  the  church  by  the  vocal  Word 
lid  the  sacraments ;  which  church  he  sanctifies,  rules,  and 
overns.  Therefore  these  words  of  David,  are  properly 
le  words  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  pronounced  through  the 
louth  and  by  the  tongue  of  David,  concerning  the 
ther  two  Persons  who  are  speaking. 

What  then  does  he  (the  Holy  Ghost)  say  concern- 
ig  those  Persons  ?  First,  he  speaks  clearly  concerning 
be  God  of  Israel  who  spoke  to  David ;  that  is,  who 
;ave  him  the  promise.  And  who  that  God  is  that 
peaks,  is  well  known  to  us  Christians  from  the  Gospel, 
ohn  i.  1  :  namely,  God  the  Father  himself,  whom 
loses  testifies  of  as  having  said  in  the  beginning,  "  Let 
lere  be  light,"  Gen.  i.  3.  And,  the  Word  or  Logos  of 
lat  God,  is  the  very  Person  of  the  Son  of  God,  by 
hom  "  all  things  were  made,"  as  it  is  said  John  i.  3. 
nd  this  same  Son  of  God  is  in  this  passage  called  by 
e  Holy  Spirit  the  Zur,  that  is,  the  Stone,  or  Rock,  or 
Tength,  of  Israel,  and  the  just  Ruler  among  misn. 
ad,  this  Person  the  Holy  Ghost  thus  represents  as 
irelling  among  men,  and  there  speaking  atid  giving 
omises. — Therefore,  there  are  three  persons  speak- 
g,  and  yet,  it  is. the  same  One  God  that  is  speaking, 
e  same  One  God  that  is  promising,  and  the  promise 
the  same;  even  as,  there  is  but  One  God,  who  is 
essed  for  ever ! 

But,  as  that  action  of  God,  whereby  God,  through 
le  ministry  of  the  Word,  works  in  men  by  the  external 


196 

voice  and  by  signs,  is  properly  ascribed  unto  the  Holt 
Ghost ;  so,  it  is  properly  ascribed  unto  the  Son  of  God,' 
that  he  alone  assumed  human  nature,  and  was  therefore, 
constituted  Lord  and  Judge  of  the  whole  human  race 
and  of  every  creature ;  as  it  is  written  Psalm  viii.  4—6,' 
"  What  is  man  that  thou  art  mindful  of  him,  and  thft*ii 
son  of  man  that  thou  visitest  him  ?  Thou  madest  him  tcf< 
have  dominion  over  the  works  of  thy  hands :  thou  hast 
put  all  things  under  his  feet,"     And  yet,  we  do  not 
therefore  make  Three  Lords,  or  a  three-fold  dominion. 
But  there  is  One  Lord  and  one  dominion :  which,  God 
the  Father  has  given  unto  the  Eternal  Son,  yea,  unUi 
him  as  Man  and  the  Son  of  Adam :  and  yet,  not  to  the 
exclusion  of  himself  and  the  Holy  Ghost :   yet  still,  if 
it  is  truly  and  properly  called  the  power  and  dominioo^ 
of  the  Son  of  God,  delivered  over  unto  him  by  the 
Eternal  Father.    Therefore,  it  must  of  necessity  be,  that  "■ 
this  very  Son  of  Man  whom  you  in  this  passage  hear 
called  the  Lord,  or  Ruler,  is  truly  and  naturally  Godl 
seeing  that,  he  holds  this  same  kingdom  which  is  God's 
alone,  and  has  an  equal  power  with  God  the  Father. — 
For  God  never  gives  to,  or  bestows  on,  any  other  out  of 
himself  his  own,  (that  is  his  properly  divine,)  honour, 
and  power,  and  kingdom :  according  to  that  scripture, 
'*  Thou    shalt  have  none  other    gods   but  me."     And 
Isaiah  xlii.  8,  "  I  am  the  Lord — and  my  glory  will  I 
not    give    to    another,    neither    my   praise    to   graven 
images."    When  therefore  he  himself  declares  that  he 
gives  his  honour,  power,  and  kingdom,  (that  is,  puts  all 
things  that  he  has  made  in  subjection,)  to  this  Man  or 
Son  of  Adam,  with  equal  and  the  same  power  as  that 
under  which  he  himself  holds  them ;  it  must  of  neces- 
sity follow,  that  this  same  Person  to  whom  this  power  is 
given,  is  not  a  strange  god  or  an  idol,  but  truly  and 
naturally  God,  together  with  the  Father  himself  and  the 
Holy  Spirit. 

But  of  this,  (by  the  help  of  God,)  more  shall  be  said 
hereafter,  and  other  similar  prophecies  shall  be  brought 
forward.  Let  us  now,  as  we  proposed,  open  up  these 
words  of  David  ;  in  which  are  clearly  testified  these  two 


197 

principal  heads  or  articles  of  the  doctrine  concerning 
God: — That,  there  are  three  distinct  Persons  in  the 
Godhead  ;  that,  of  these  three  Persons,  one,  that  is,  the 
Son  of  God,  should  take  upon  him  human  nature,  and 
receive  from  the  Eternal  Father  a  power  and  dominion 
over  all  things ;  and  that  the  Holy  Ghost,  should  put 
into  the  hearts  of  men,  by  faith,  that  light  which  truly 
apprehendeth  God,  or  the  knowledge  of  God,  even  as 
he  had  made  known  the  same  before  by  the  tongues  and 
voices  of  the  patriarchs  and  prophets.   Which  operations 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  must,  of  necessity,  be  also  truly  and 
only  divine.     For  it  is  not  in  any  human  or  angelic 
power  or  faculty,  either  to  foretel  these  things  and  promise 
them  long  before  they  took  place,  or  to  work  faith  in 
the  heart,  firmly  to  believe  them.    Thus  Paul  saith,  that 
the  faith  which  the  Holy  Ghost  bringeth,  and  worketh 
in  the  hearts  of  them  that  believe,  is,  "  the  gift  of  God." 
Nor  is  it  in  the  power  of  every  one  to  see  and  appre- 
hend this  distinction  of  persons  so  manifestly  signified 
in  the  prophetical  scriptures  and  in  the  Psalms.     For 
when  any  one  lights  upon  such  words  as  these  with  his 
carnal  mind  and  with  the  judgment  of  reason,  he  will 
read  the  words,  indeed,  in  this  order,  "  The  God  of 
Israel  said,  the  Rock  of  Israel  spake  unto  me :  he  that  is 
a  just  ruler  among  men,"  &c.  But  when  he  thus  reads  the 
words,  what  else  will  he  think,  than  that  all  this  is  spoken 
of  one  and  the  same  person  in  many  and  redundant 
words?     Or  else,  he  will  fall  into  those  deliriums  of  the 
blindness  of  the  Jews,  who  make  this  just  ruler  over 
men,  and  this  ruler  in  the  fear  of  God,  to  be  David  him- 
self; and  thus,  they  absolutely  change  this  most  sweet 
promise  into  a  legal  precept;  as  though  nothing  else 
were  said,  than  that  he  who  would  rule  over  men,  must 
be  just,  and  fear  God.     Whereas,  David  glories  in  such 
plain  words,  and  with  all  that  ardour  of  spirit  and  gra- 
titude of  heart,  that  these  are  the  words  of  a  promise 
which   God   spoke  to  him   concerning  the   promised 
Messiah  of  the  God  of  Jacob;  and  not  a  precept  which 
he  himself  gives  to  kings  or  political  governors. 

The  same  would  happen  to  such  a  reader  when  reading 


198 

the  second  Psalm,  (the  whole  of  which,  it  is  most  certain, 
is  composed  concerning  Christ,)  where,  in  like  man- 
ner, three  distinct  Persons  are  represented,  as  three 
speaking.  For,  first,  God  the  Father  says,  "Yet  have 
I  set  my  King  upon  my  holy  hill  of  Sion,"  v.  6 ;  and 
this  King  concerning  whom  mention  is  made,  must  of 
necessity  be  another  and  distinct  Person  from  him  who 
appointed  him  King;  and  therefore,  it  immediately 
follows  in  the  Psalm,  v.  7,  '^  I  will  declare  the  decree," 
or  manner;  (that  is,  of  this  King  thus  appointed.)  All 
these  words  so  far,  sound  as  if  it  were  that  same  Person 
of  the  Father  speaking  who  first  began ;  nor  will  reason 
here  understand  it  otherwise.  But  it  is  certain,  that  there 
is  another  person  here  speaking;  that  is,  the  Son  himself, 
the  King;  as  the  series  and  connection  of  the  words 
will  shew,  where  it  follows,  v.  7,  "  The  Lord  hath  said 
unto  me.  Thou  art  my  Son,  this  day  have  I  begotten 
thee,"  &c.  For  this  person  to  whom  the  Lord  speaks, 
and  whom  he  said  he  had  appointed  King,  must  of  ne- 
cessity have  a  human  nature,  seeing  that  he  makes  him 
a  preacher,  to  preach  the  commands  of  God,  and  clearly 
declares  above,  that  he  is  the  Messiah ;  when  he  says, 
that  the  world  rages  against  th6  Lord  and  against  his 
Christ. —  And  moreover,  that  this  same  King  and 
Preacher  is  also  truly  and  naturally  God,  is  manifest 
from  this;  that  God  the  Father  says  to  him,  "  Thou  art 
my  Son,  this  day  have  I  begotten  thee;"  all  these  things 
are  well  known  to  us  Christians.  The  same  also  is 
manifest  from  God's  saying  that  he  gives  to  this  Person 
the  "  inheritance"  of  the  whole  world;  that  is,  all  power 
and  whatever  the  world  possesses;  which  certainly  is 
nothing  else,  than  truly  giving  to  this  same  Person  that 
same  power  and  that  same  dominion,  which  are  properly 
God's  alone. 

And  therefore,  this  same  Psalm  commands  that  the 
kings  and  kingdoms  of  the  world  "  kiss  the'Son :"  that  is, 
that  they  profess  that  they  adore  him,  and  that  they  serve 
him,  &c.  And  then  it  concludes,  "  Blessed  are  all  they 
that  hope  in  him ; "  which  certainly  is  due  to  God  only. 
And  although  all  do  not  obey  him  so  as  to  embrace  the 


199 

Gospel,  yet,  this  does  not  at  all  lessee  his  domimoti 
and  power  over  all  creatures.  For  he  that  does  not  will- 
ingly submit  himself  to  this  King  under  his  grace,  must 
of  necessity  submit  himself  to  him  under  his  wraUi; 
as  the  same  Psalm  says,  "  Lest  he  be  angry,  and  ye 
perish  from  the  way."  He  that  will  not  reign  with  him 
eternally  blessed  and  happy,  shall  be  made  his  footstool 
auMl  be  trodden  under  his  feet  with  the  rest  of  his  ene- 
mies ;  fer  i>e  is  appointed  of  God  to  be  the  only  Judge 
of  the  quiek  aiid  dead. 

And  thinkest  thou  that  the  Turkish  fury,  Popery, 
the  Jews,  and  the  whole  mass  of  the  violent  world 
stmining  with  diabolical  rage,  shall,  although  they  now 
reject  and  despise  the  grace  of  this  King  and  Judge, 
and  angrily  set  themselves  against  him,  hereafter  escape 
hi&  power  and  judgment  ?  No !  they  shall  find  it  to  be 
fer  otherwise,  as  his  enemies  have  ever  hitherto  found 
it.  For  the  Psalm  saith,  that  the  Lord  that  "  sitteth  in 
the  heavens  shall  laugh''  at  their  rage,  and  "  speak  unto 
them  in  his  wrath." 

In  a  word,  this  Person  is  Lord  and  will  be  Lord  as 
widely  as  God  himself  has  dominion  who  gave  this 
dominion  unto  him :  as  he  himself  says,  **  All  power  i& 
given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth,"  Matt,  xxviii.  18. 
And  this  dominion  is,  and  ever  will  remain,  firm  and 
sure  unto  him ;  and  that  unto  the  eternal  destruction  of 
him  who  will  not,  willingly  and  under  the  grace  of  this 
Lord,  acknowledge  it;  for  he  shall  be  compelled  to 
acknowledge  it  under  wrath  and  punishment  eternal. 

Here  therefore  you  have,  again,  the  Persons  of  the 
Father  and  of  the  Son  clearly  and  distinctly  expressed : 
and  the  Person  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  also  at  the  same 
time  clearly  implied,  who  composed  and  spoke  these 
Psalms  concerning  the  Father  and  the  Son  speaking. 

TBiis  scripture,  therefore,  by  a  manifest  testimony 
distinctly  sets  forth  a  Trinity  of  Persons,  of  one  eternal, 
indivisible,  divine  essence:  and  also  clearly  speaks 
concerning  the  Son  of  God,  who  should  take  upon  him 
human  nature,  as  being  the  promised  Messiah.^— And  this 


200 

IS  the  same  confession  that  is  set  forth  in  these  **  Last 
words  of  David." 

But,  as  I  said,  men  of  carnal  judgment  pass  by 
these  words  with  an  unconcerned  mind ;  and  think  that 
it  was  not  the  Holy  Ghost  the  author  that  spoke  these 
words,  but  the  good  and  pious  man  David  that  spoke  them 
concerning  himself  or  concerning  some  other,  no  one 
knows  who :  and  this  is  the  way  in  which  the  greatest  men 
among  the  Jews  always  understand  this  passage.  Whereas 
David  himself  plainly  declares,  that  this  is  not  his  poetry, 
but  "  the  sweet  Psalms  of  Israel ;"  and  that  it  was  not 
he  that  spoke  them,  but  the  Holy  Ghost  by  his  tongue. 
And  moreover,  they  are  not  spoken  concerning  himself, 
but  concerning  the  Messiah  of  the  God  of  Jacob. 

But,  finally,  how  could  it  be  possible  that  flesh  and 
blood,  and  human  reason  and  wisdom,  should  thus  speak 
forth  clearly  concerning  things  so  great,  so  mysterious,  and 
placed  so  far  beyond  human  comprehension,  when  those 
same  human  faculties  consider  them  foolishness  and  an 
offence  when  set  forth  by  and  heard  from  others  ? 

But  however,  that  which  I  have  asserted  so  to  be,  is 
the  meaning  of  the  words  of  David,  that  such  most  cer- 
tainly was  his  belief,  and  that  he  persevered  in  that  faith 
even  unto  his  latest  breath,  let  us  now  proceed  to  prove 
by  testimonies  taken  from  himself.  And  in  so  doing,  let 
us  first  set  before  us  for  a  moment  those  words,  2  Sam. 
vii.  wherein  he  had  respect  to  the  present  passage  where 
he  says,  that  God  spake  to  him  concerning  the  Messiah 
of  the  God  of  Jacob,  and  rested  upon  it  as  a  foundation, 
and  from  it  as  a  certain  fountain  drew  those  "  sweet 
Psalms  of  Israel."  The  words  meant,  are  those  that  are 
thus  written  in  that  history  which  is  contained  2  Samuel 
vii.  from  the  1st  to  the  17th  verse. 

Also  the  Lord  telleth  thee,  that  the  Lord  will  make 
thee  an  house.  And  when  thy  days  be  fulfilled^  and  thou 
shalt  sleep  with  thy  fathers^  I  will  set  up  thy  seed  after 
thee  which  shall  proceed  out  of  thy  bowels,-  and  I  will 
establish  his  kingdom.    He  shall  build  me  an  house  and 


20  i 

viU  establish  his  throne  for  ever.  I  will  be  to  him  a  father^ 
'd  he  shall  be  to  me  a  son.  And  my  mercy  I  mil  not  turn 
my  from  himy  as  I  took  it  away  from  him  who  was  before 
ee.  But  I  will  establish  him  in  my  house  and  in  my 
ngdom  for  ever,  and  his  throne  shall  be  established 
r  ever. 

T^  H  E  first  member  of  this  passage,  "  The 
Lord  telleth  thee  that  the  Xord  will  make 
ee  an  house,"  clearly  speaks  of  the  very  house  or  pps- 
rity  of  David, — that  his  family  or  posterity  should 
main  in  possession  of  the  sceptre  of  Judah  until  the 
anifestation  of  the  Messiah :  as  I  have  proved  from 
is  same  passage  elsewhere  against  the  Jews. 

And  here  again,  at  the  very  beginning,  the  Three 
ersons  in  the  Godhead  distinctly  discover  them- 
ilves  unto  us. — First,  there  is  the  Person  of  the  Holy 
rhost,  who  speaks  these  things  by  the  prophet  Nathan, 
or,  as  we  have  before  observed,  the  w^ork  of  speaking 
f  the  prophets  in  the  holy  scriptures  is  properly 
jcribed  to  the  Person  of  the  Holy  Ghost :  according 
)  that  saying  of  David,  "  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord 
3ake  by  me : "  and  he  speaks  in  the  same  way  by  all 
le  prophets. — And  then,  this  same  Holy  Ghost  speak- 
ig,  introduces  as  it  were  the  Person  of  the  Father 
peaking,  when  he  says,  *'  The  Lord  telleth  thee," 
:c. — And  then  directly  afterwards,  in  the  same  con- 
jxt,  he  adds  also  the  Person  of  the  Son,  saying,  "  that 
le  Lord  will  make  thee  an  house."  ^nd  yet,  it  is  but 
)ne  God  or  Lord  that  speaks  by  the  prophet  Nathan, 
[lat  tells  unto  David,  and  that  makes  him  a  house: 
hat  is,  it  is  the  same  that  speaks,  that  tells,  and  that  is 
be  builder.  And,  if  human  reason  cannot  see  and 
eceive  this  manifest  distinction  of  persons,  that  is  nothing 
0  us.  Nor  am  I  ignorant  with  what  glosses  scofSng 
avillers,  who  would  become  teachers  oC  the  Holy 
jrhost,  will  elude  this  and  the  like  passages. 

But  do  thou,  reader,  lay  down  for  thyself  this  as  a 
ertain  rule — that,  wherever  in  the  scriptures  thou  readest 
f  one  God  speaking  of  another  God,  as  distinct  Per* 

VOL.  II.  p 


202 

sons,  or,  as  one  person  of  another  person,  there  tfiou 
mayest  safely  affirm  that  the  Three  distinct  Persons  of 
the  Godhead  are  signified  and  set  forth.  As  it  is  in  this 
passage,  where  "  the  Lord"  speaks  and  "  tells"  that 
**  the  Lord  will  build"  the  house  of  David.  And  again, 
Gen.  xix.  24,  "  Then  the  Lord  rained  brimstone  and 
fire  from  the  Lord,"  &c.  For  we  are  sure  that  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  not  devoid  of  cbmmon  sense,  nor 
intoxicated,  nor  a  vairt'  and  futile  trifler,  so  as  that  he 
should  speak  one  word,  or  even  one  iota,  utterly  without 
cause  to  no  purpose.  When  therefore  the  Lord,  (that  is, 
the  Person  of  the  Son,)  is  said  to  rain  brimstone  and 
fire  from  the  Lord,  (that  is  from  the  Person  of  the 
Father  from  whom  the  Son  proceeds,)  there  is  also 
manifested  the  Person  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  speaks 
this  by  Abraham,  (and  also  by  those  who  came  after 
him,  such  as  the  writer  Moses  'himself,)  concerning  the 
other  two  Persons,  each  of  whom  are  called  "  Lord;" 
but  so,  that  those  Three  together  are  but  One  Lord, 
One  God,  who  alone  rained  the  brimstone  and  fire. — 
But  we  shall  hear  more  examples  of  this  kind  here- 
after. 

In  the  other  member  of  this  passage  where  it  is  said 
to  David,  "  And  when  thy  days  are  fulfilled,  and  thou 
shalt  sleep  with  thy  fathers,  I  will  set  up  thy  seed  after 
thee,"  &c.  here  is  where  the  Messiah  begins  to  be 
spoken  of.  For  these  words  cannot  be  understood  of 
Solomon,  the  successor  of  David;  much  less  of  any 
other  of  David's  sons  or  descendants.  This  (**  seed ") 
must  of  necessity  be  that  one  especial  son  of  David 
who  was  to  come  after  the  sceptre  of  Judah,  (that 
being  removed.)  Thus  also  when  it  is  said,  "  He  shall 
build  me  an  house,  and  I  will  establish  his  throne  for 
ever."  By  this  "  house  "  cannot  be  meant  the  templ6  after- 
ymrds  built  by  Solomon :  for  the  same  Nathan  had  said 
to  David  just  before,  **  Thou  shalt  not  build  an  house 
for  me  to  dwell  in.  For  I  have  not  dwelt  in  any -house 
since  the  time  that  I  brought  up  the  children  of  Israel 
out  of  Egypt."  And  Solomon  himself  afterwards  saith, 
1  Kings  viii  27,  "  But  will  God  indeed  dwell  oft  the 


205' 

earth?  BeHold,  the  heaven,  and  heaven,  of  heavens 
cannot  contain .  thee ;  how  mjuch  less  this  house  that  I 
have  builded  ?"  But  the  samfe  is  still  iriofe  expressively 
set  forth  By  Isaiah,  chap.  Ixvi.  "  Thus  saith  the  LorC  The 
heaven  is  my  throne,  and  the  earth  is  my  footstool  : 
where  is  the  house' that  ye  btiild  unto  me?  and  where  is 
the  place  of  my  rest  ?  " 

Here  he  clearly  and  forcibly  refutes  the  foolikh  per-^ 
suasion  of  tH^  Jews,  who  gloried  in  the  temple  aS  if  they 
had  built  an  house  to  God,  and  performed  some  great 
and  especial   worship :   and  being  proudly  pufFedf  up 
with  this  their  work,  they  became  the  furious  murderer^ 
of  the  prophets.    Whereas,  God  here  plainly  declarej^,;, 
that  he  cannot  endure  their  temple,  (as  though  he  had 
need  of  that  for  an  habitation,)  but  that  he  looks  to  the 
man  "  that  is  poor  and  of  a  contrite  spirit,  and  tnayt  ^ 
trembleth  at  his  word."^    It  is  here  he  saith  that  he  will 
dwell,  and  this  he  §aith  shall  be  his  temple  arid'  His 
rest. — The  prophet  refutes  also  in  this  same  passage, 
aiid  that  in  words  the  most  severe  and  cutting,   tne 
sacrifices  and  wdtsliip  of  the  temple,  saying,  "'He  that 
killieth  an  ox  is  as  if  he  ^lew  a  man ;  he  that  sacrificetto 
a  lamb  as  if  he  cut  off  a  dog's  neck ;  he  that  offereth  an 
dblarticm  ak  if  he  offered  swine's  'blbod ;  he  thiat  Burneth 
iticense  as  if  he  blessed  an  idol."    For  God  did  hot  \W^h 
and^  command -a  temple  to  be  built,  that  they  iflighjt 
arrogantly  and  obstinately  rfesist  his  precepts  and  pro- 
mises,  and  neglecting  tnem,   multiply  sacrifices,   and 
thus  set  themseflves  off  as  the  great  saints  of  God :  but, 
that  his  name,'(afe  the  sferipture  every  where  saith,)  that 
is;'  the  true  knowledge  of  God  according  to  the  given 
Word,  might  there  dwell  and  be  celebrated,  and  ndt 
that  he  himself  should  be  considered  to  be  enclosed  as  it 
were  in  that  place.     That  is,  he  wished  his:  Wbrd'tojbfe 
heard  in  the  temple,  that  he  might  by  it  be  truly  kriowtt 
and  called  upon,  and  that  thus  true  honour  might  be 
paid  him.    Whereas  they,  on  the  contrary,,  arrbgated 
to   themfeelves  the  honour   and  glory  which  are  '^ue 
unto  God,  because  of  their  having  built  unto  hita  so 
mttgriificent  a   temple :    and  irf  this  confidfericfe  thi^' 

p  2 


S04 

killed   the  prophets  on  account  of  that  Word  which 
they  preached. 

Wherefore,  it  must  of  necessity  follow,  that  this 
**  house,"  which  it  is  said  that  the  Messiah,  proceeding 
from  David  and  the  Son  of  God,  should  build,  must  be 
quite  different  from,  and  greater  and  more  glorious  than, 
that  temple  of  Jerusalem.    For  only  consider  with  thyself, 
— when  God  says  that  this  house  shall  be  "his"  house, 
that  is,  in  which  he  himself  will  dwell ;  it  at  once  follows, 
that  it  must  be  much  more  extensive  and   holy  than 
heaven  and  earth;   seeing  that  the  God  him\>elf  who 
is  to  dwell  in  this  house  is  so  great,  that  all  heaven 
only  forms  his  seat  or  throne  on  which  he  sits,  and  all 
earth  is  under  his  feet  as  his  footstool.    Justly  therefore 
does  he  say,   *  What  house  will  ye  build  unto  me  of 
wood  or  of  stone,  when  the  whole  fabric  of  the  world, 
the  heavens  and  the  earth,  are  by  far  too  narrow  to 
contain  me?' 

Concerning  this  "  house,"  therefore,  that  is  to  be  built 
unto  G#d,  the  scriptures  of  the  New  Testament  espe- 
cially, fully  instruct  us, — ^namely,  that  this  "  house"  is  that 
which  is,  and  is  called,  the  holy  church  of  God,  which 
has  existed  throughout  the  world  from  the  beginning, 
which  is  declared  to  be  also  an  eternal  house  that  shall 
conquer  and  remain  for  ever,  and  in  which  God  shall 
dwell  to  all  eternity,  and  reign  and  rule  as  the  master  of 
the  house. — Here  then  you  have  a  dwelling-place  and  a 
temple  indeed,  great  and  glorious  beyond  description  ! 

Now  THEN  let  us  consider  the  builder  and  maker  of 
this  house. — He  must  of  necessity  be  truly  Man  and  the 
Son  of  David,  as  is  here  clearly  expressed,  "  I  will  set 
up  thy  seed  after  thee  which  shall  proceed  out  of  thy 
bowels:"  and  yet,  it  is  said  that  this  Person  should 
build  an  house  greater  and  more  glorious  than  the  heavens 
and  the  earth;  and  moreover,  one  that  should  remain 
"  for  ever."  Whence  then  shall  this  builder  have  so  much 
wisdom  as  to  know  how,  or  so  much  power  as  to  be 
able,  to  build  so  great  an  house  ?  It  is  certain  that  this 
is  Above  all  human  power,  and  so,  not  in  the  power  of 
angels  themselves.     For  the  angels  were  not  the  makers 


805 

of  the  heav^i  and  the  earth,  nor  of  any  creature ;  much 
less  therefore  was  any  man. 

It  must  of  necessity  be,  therefore,  that  the  builder 
and  maker  of  this  house  is  the  true  God  himself,  who 
has  a  power  peculiar  to  his  own  divine  nature ;  that  is» 
a  power  of  making  the  heaven  and  the  earth,  and  even  a^ 
greater  and  more  divine  work  than  these ;  that  is,  such 
"im  house"  as  may  be  the  eternal  habitation  of  God! 
Hence  therefore,  this  builder  must  of  necessity  be  truly 
and  naturally  the  Almighty  God,  the  Maker  of  all 
things :  and  yet  so,  that  he  must  of  necessity  be  another 
Person  distinct  from  that  Person  which  spoke  concern- 
ing him  these  words,  "  I  will  be  to  him  a  father,  and  he 
shall  l)e  to  me  a  son."  And  again,  "  He  shall  build  me 
an  house."  You  here  see  clearly  and  manifestly  distin- 
guished the  Persons  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son :  that 
is,  of  the  builder  and  maker,  and  of  him  for  whom  the 
house  is  built.  And  yet,  the  Godhead  does  not  allow 
that  these  Persons  should  be  divided  so  as  to  make  two 
Gods,  or  that  the  Son  should  be  a  different  God  from 
the  Father.  For  the  First  Commandment  stands  directly 
opposed  to  this  saying,  **Thou  shalt  have  none  other 
gods  but  (or  besides)  me."  And  Deut.  vi.  4,  "  Hear, 
O  Israel,  the  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord." — And,  we 
have  already  heard  it  observed  above,  that,  wherever  in 
the  prophetic  scripture  mention  is  made  of  the  Persons 
of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son,  the  Person  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  is  there  to  be  understood  as  set  forth  also,  for  the 
scripture  testifies,  that  it  is  he  that  speaks  these  things 
by  the  prophets. 

Hence,  this  very  passage  is,  to  any  godly  reader,  a 
clear  and  firm  testimony  that  the  eternd  Almighty  God, 
the  maker  of  all  things,  is  One ;  or,  of  one  undivided 
divine  essence,  so  as  that,  out  of  this  One  there  is  not 
and  cannot  be  any  God :  and  yet,  that  this  same  God 
or  Godhead  is  Three  true  and  distinct  Persons,  that  is, 
God  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost:  and 
that  so,  that  it  was  the  Person  of  the  Son  only  tjiat 
assumed  human  nature,  and  was  made  the  Son  of 
David. 


50^ 

And  without  dojibt,  God  wished  this  Comroandr 
iiient,  (that  they-should  neither  adore  nor  worship  any 
.other  god  but  the  One  God  who  had  revealed  hi^piiself 
untbJljtiem.ip  the  given  Word,)  to  be  Inculcated,  apd  s^ 
it  were  staitiped  upon  the  people  of  Israel^  for  Jthis  very 
reason; — ^that,  being  as'  it  were  previously  prepared  l^ 
that  Coiximandment,  they  niight  not  have  any  cause  for  ' 
taking  offence  if  they  should  hear  the  Messiah,  after  Jiis 
manifestation,  preached  and  acknowledged  by  faith  to 
.be  God,  nor  imagine  that  they  were  taught  to  worship 
any  strange  god  contrary  to  the  doctrine  delivered  by 
Moses ;  but  that,  as  Moses  had  commanded  this  God 
that  should  come  to  be  heard,  they  might  know,  that 
they  ought  to  listen  with  their  ears  and  hearts,  and 
learn  from  him  the  true  and  secret  meaning  of  the  First 
Commandment  concerning  having  no  strange  God ; — 
namely,  that  they  would  not  then  have  any  strange  God 
when  they  adored  this  Messiah  the  Son  of  God ;  be- 
cause, he  is  in  truth  not  another  God,  but  the  same 
with  the  Father,  though  of  a  distinct  Person ;  as  the 
testimonies  of  their  prophets  bear  witness. 

It  now  follows  in  the  words  tp  David,  "  And  I  will 
establish  him  in  my  house  and  in  my  kingdom  for 
ever." — What  then  have  we  here!  Here  let  us  give 
all  attention  !  It  was  before  said,  that  the  house  which 
should  be  built  to  God  should  be  everlasting  and  eter- 
nal :  and  therefore,  its  builder  or  maker  must  of  neces- 
sity be  an  eternal  Person,  having  an  eternal  and  truly 
divine  power.  And  here  it  is  farther  said  unto  David, 
*  In  that  very  house  which  the  same  my  son  and  thy  son 
shall  build  unto  me,  he  himself  shall  be  Lord,  and  shall 
inhabit  it  equally  with  me.  He  shall,  I  say,  be  of  equal 
right  and  power  with  me  in  that  house.  For  I  will  so 
set  him  over  this  house,  that  he  shall  have  the  same  full 
power  over  it  that  I  have.'  And  when  it  is  said  that 
this  house  of  God  is  much  greater,  better,  and  more 
glorious  than  the  whole  wonderful  fabric  of  the  heavens 
arid  the  earth ;  when,  moreover,  this  son  of  David  the 
Messiah,  is  said  to  be  the  builder  and  Lord  of  this 
house;  that  same  Person  is,  without  doubt,  the  builder 


«07 

and  Lord  of  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  that  is,  of  the. 
whole  creation  of  things ;  and  therefor^,  he  must  be  far 
greater,  and  exalted  above,  that  creation ! — For,  he  that 
is  the  Lord  of  so  great  a  house,  must  of  necessity  be  far 
above  the  house  itself,  and  therefore  must  also  be  Lord 
of  heaven  and  earth,  and  One  with  God !  And  such  an 
one  no  one  can  be  but  the  One  true  God,  the  Creator  of 
all  things  ! — It  follows,  therefore,  that  this  Messiah  the 
Son  of  David  is  truly  and  naturally  the  One  true  and 
only  God,  and  no  strange  God.  For  the  eternal  God 
does  not  suffer  any  one  but  himself  to  be  God,  or  to  be 
Lord  over  his  house,  but  will  have  all  the  glory  and 
power  due  unto  his  Godhead  to  be  ascribed  unto  hint 
only,  and  to  remain  perfect,  and  not  to  be  given  to  any 
other.  Wherefore,  these  words  clearly  and  expressly 
declare  this, — that  the  Messiah,  the  Son  of  David,  is  the 
very  Lord  and  King  himself  of  this  kingdom,  (which 
properly  belongs  to  God  only,)  or,  is  in  all  things  equal 
with  God.  For  it  is  certain  that  God  in  this  place 
speaks  concerning  the  promised  Messiah. 

But  if  any  one  will  judaize,  and,  resting  on  the  in- 
terpretation of  the  Rabbins,  will  refer  these  words  of 
God^  "  my  house,"  "  my  kingdom,"  to  that  visible 
temple  at  Jerusalem,  and  to  the  political  economy  of  the 
people  of  Israel,  he  may  do  it  for  what  I  care,  but  it 
will  be  at  his  own  peril.  And  yet,  I  am  not  ignorant, 
that  God  calls  that  temple  which  was  made  with  hands 
*  his  house.'  "  For  my  house  shall  be  called  an  house 
of  prayer  for  all  people,"  Isaiah  Ivi.  7.  And  Christ 
himself  cites  these  words  with  reference  to  that  temple. 
Matt.  xxi.  1 3,  Luke  xix.  46.  And  so  also,  he  calls  the 
people  of  Israel  '  his  kingdom,'  Exod.  xix.  6,  "  And 
ye  shall  be  unto  me  a  kingdom  of  priests."  But  in  that 
same  place  this  condition  is  added,  "  If  ye  will  obey 
my  voice  indeed,  and  keep  m^  covenant,"  &c.  I  know 
also  that  God  saith,  Ezekiel  xviii.  4,  "As  the  soul  of 
the  Father  so  also  the  soul  of  the  Son  is  mine."  But 
what  of  that.  Is  not  this  wine  which  I  drink,  and  this 
bread  which  I  eat,  God's  also  ?  And  what  is  there  in  all 
heaven  and  earth  that  is  not  properly  God's?  As  Isaiah 


208 

Ixvi.  1,  2,  saith,  "  The  heaven  is  my  throne,  and  the 
earth  is  my  ^footstool :  where  is  the  house  that  ye  build 
unto  me  ?  For  all  those  things  hath  mine  hand  made, 
and  all  those  things  are  with  me."  As  though  he  had  said, 
Had  I  not  made  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  where 
would  you  have  gotten  the  materials,  stones,  mortar, 
iron,  and  all  those  things  that  are  necessary  for  build- 
ing ?  Are  not  all  these  things  mine,  and  did  they  not 
exist  long  before  ?  Where  did  you  get  them  but  from 
me  ?  Which  of  these  things  did  you  procure  by  your 
own  power  ?  What  are  you  yourselves,  and  whose  are 
you?  Am  not  I  your  Maker,  and  are  not  you  ray 
creatures  ? 

The   same    David   confesses   also   when    he  gives 
thaftks  unto  God,  1  Chron.  xxix.  16,  for  the  materials 
which  he  had  collected  for  the  building  of  the  temple ; 
saying,  *  All  this  store,  O  Lord,  is  thine :  and  what  we 
have  received  at  thy  hands  do  we  offer  unto  thee.'    And 
he  speaks  in  the  same  manner  of  the  sacrifices  of  this 
temple,  Ps.  1.  'What  sacrifice  will  ye  offer  unto  me? 
are  not  all  the  beasts  of  the  forest  mine,  and  the  cattle 
upon  a  thousand  hills  ?  Shall  I  eat  the  flesh  of  bulls,  or 
drink  the  blood  of  goats?   Were  not  all  these  things 
made  without  any  work  or  help  of  yours  ?  Where  would 
you  have  had  all  these  sacrifices,  had  they  not  been 
given  you  by  me?' — Here,  what  else  is  said,  than  that 
God  has  no  need  of  our  sacrifices,  and  so  no  need  of 
the  temple  built  by  us?     Wherefore  he  saith,  'Think 
not  that  ye  perform  to  me  by  these  things  a  service  that 
is  necessary  to  me,  as  though  I  should  be  the  poorer  if  I 
received  it  not. — This  therefore  is  the  sum  of  the  whole, 
and  this  is  my  design  in  the  temple  I  have  commanded, 
and  in  the  ceremonies  I  have  instituted, — that  ye  might 
acknowledge  and  confess  by  such  works  that  ye  receive 
all  things  from  me,  and  that  ye  offer  unto  me  all  that  ye 
are  and  have  and  can  do,  as  having  been  before  re- 
ceived at  my  hands ;  so  that,  by  such  an  attestation,  ye 
might  proclaim  me  as  God  your  Maker,  and   might 
exalt  me  with  true  honour  and  praise.    This,  I  repeat,  is 
the  reason  why  I  wished  these  sacrifices  and  victims  for 


209 

a  time  to  be  call^  ^^  mine :"  even  as  it  was  for  the  same 
reason  also  that  I  called  the  temple  itself  "  my  house : " 
not  because  there  was  any  necessity  for  my  being  con- 
fined to  that  place,  or  that  I  might  have  some  certain 
dwelling-place,  or  that  I  had  need  of  your  worshipping 
me  with  your  works :  but,  it  was  for  your  own  sakes, 
that  I  wished  it  to  be  called  "  my  house,"  that  ye  might, 
in  a  place  appointed  by  my  Word,  exercise  the  office  of 
teaching  and  preaching,  give  thanks  unto  me  for  bless- 
ings received,  and  call  upon  me  in  time  of  trouble; 
knowing,  that  I  should  be  ready  to  hear  you  when  calling 
upon  me  thus.  It  was  for  this  end  that  I  commanded 
this  house  to  be  built :  not  that  it  might  be  a  place  for 
me  to  dwell  in,  but  a  place  for  you  to  pray  in,  as  I  said, 
"  My  house  shall  be  called  the  house  of  prayer."  And 
certainly  it  is  not  so  called  on  my  account :  for  I  have 
no  need  of  worshipping  any  one,  or  of  asking  any  thing 
of  any  one,  who  myself  want  nothing.    Wherefore,  if  ye 

-  use  this  my  house  in  any  other  way  than  as  the  house 
of  prayer,  I  no  longer  acknowledge  it  as  "  my  house," 
but  as  "  a  den  of  thieves."  And  such  are  they  who  per- 
suade themselves  that  they  offer  me  some  particular 
honour,  and  pay  me  some  exalted  worship,  by  that  work, 
when  they  build  me  a  house,  and  when  they  wish  it  to 
be  spoken  of,  in  order  that  the  glory  of  their  having 
performed  for  me  so  mighty  a  work  might  be  their  own, 
and  that  they  might  on  that  account  greatly  recommend 
themselves  unto  my  favour,  and  signify  to  me,  that  they 
are  deserving  of  some  very  great  rewards.  And  in  this 
way  it  must  of  necessity  follow,  that  this  house  must  be 
made  a  most  awful  den  of  thieves,  destined  only  unto 

'■  destruction,  and  to  be  at  last  destroyed  to  its  founda- 
tion, as  being  no  longer  my  house,  but  an  habitation  of 

;,  the  devil,  and  a  gulph  of  hell.' — These  are  (jod's  own 
declarations  concerning  this  house,  as  they  are  clearly 
expressed  by  the  prophets.  - 

And  now,  (as  I  at  first  observed  concerning  the 
meaning  of  this  prophetical  passage,)  if  any  one  is  still 
determined  to  refer  the  expressions  "  my  house,"  "  my 
kingdom,"   to   the   very   temple  and  kingdom   of  the 


j)flQple/of  I»ael,;aiid.wMl  have  them , to  be  sp  uiider- 
stQ0d ;  h^  tiDust  ip  so  doing  t^  upon  himself  this  tasl^ 
fU^;*r-*-he  must  prove  by  sound  and  true  vgume^ts^ 
^yi^  the  .temple,  which  was  builf;  at  JerusaLeni,  and  thf 
pt^ljl^al.-economy  of  the  people  of  Israel  in  the  land  of 
Canaan^  have  ever  remained  the  same  from  the  time  of 
.I>avid  unto  this  day,  and  that  they  remain  so  still :  fof 
the  passage  plainly  de4^es,  that  the  house  of  Dav^ 
shall  remain  ^'  for  ever/'  and  that  his  Son  the  Messtal^ 
shall  rei^  in  the  house  of  God  and  in  his  kingdom 
^emally.  We  Christians  must  certainly  confess  that  we 
<:annot  prove  any  such  thing;  because  it  is  manifest, 
■that  that  house  of  God,  or  temple  of  Jerusalem,  has 
been  destroyed  for  above  five  hundred  years,  and  thiat 
the  family  of  David  and  his  kingdom,  and  the  political 
economy  of  the  people  of  Israel  have  ceased  for  nearly 
as  many  years,  and  that  now  there  is  nothing  of  them 
remaining. 

Wherefore,  we  are  compelled  to  hold  that  opinicvi 
which  I  have  declared  above— that  ^*  my  house"  and 
"  my  kingdom"  signify  that  eternal  kingdom  of  God,  in 
which  he  himself  has  determined  to  dwell  and  to  rejgn 
to  all  eternity,  and  which  this  Messiah,  the  Son  of 
God  himself  and  of  David,  should  build  by  his  eternal 
and  divine  power  and  wisdom. 

BUT,  as  a  confirmation  of  this,  let  us  hear  David 
himself,  not  by  any  means  obscurely  signifying  how  he 
understood  these  words  :  w  hen,  in  answer  to  these  words 
of  the  prophet,  he  thus  speaks,  ver.  18, 

Tt^en  went  King  David  in  and  sflt  before  the  Lord: 
and  he  said,  Who  am  /,  O  Lord  God  1  and  what  is  my 
house,  that  thou  hast  created  me  to  this  ? 

Here  David  himself  clearly  signifies,  that  he  fully 
understood  what  those  words  meant,  when  God  pro- 
mLsed  him  by  the  prophet  Nathan,  "  I  will  be  to  him  a 
father,  aad  he  shall  be  to  me  a  son : ''  and  also,  "  I  will 
establish  him  in  my  house  and  in  my  kingdom  for  eyer." 
For,  being  now  as  it  were  astonished  at  the  thought  of 


ii 


a  tfaikig.^  great  and  marv^ttous;' lie  an^^eifs,  ''i^bo  aiki 
I,  O  Lord  God  ?  and  what?*  my  hoasef,  fliat  thou  liast 
exalted  me  to  this  ?"  It  is  too  great,  it  id  fob  high,  k  is 
too  glorious,  that  I  should'  receive  this  promise  of 
God  !— ^4iiat  my  house  shotdd  be  exalted  to  that  height 
so  far  above  all  human  things^  that  my  Son,  one  bom 
of  my  own  loins,  should  sit  as  King  and  Lord  in  that 
thine  own  eternal  kingdom ;  that  is,  with  divine  power 
and  majesty  !  What  shall  I  say !  How  shall  I  wonder 
.enough  !  Wljat  is  this  !  O  Lord  Godj^  to  what  height 
dost  thou  exalt  me ! — That  is,  overcome  by  so  ^eat, 
so  wonderful,  and  so  inlinite  a  blessing,  he  signifies  that 
he  cannot  find  words  whereby  to  express  himself  in 
siich  a  case,  and  that  he  is  wholly  overcome  by  the 
greatness  of  such  incomparable  favour  and  incompre- 
hensible glory,  the  measure  or  end  of  which  no  human 
mind  can  imagine.  And  therefore,  as  he  cannot  express 
himself,  he  utters  all  his  feelings,  and  as  it  were  swallows 
them  up  in  one  word,  when  he  says,  What  to  this!  What 
so  high  as  this  !  To  what  height  am  I  raised  !  To  what 
wilt  thou  exalt  me,  O  Lord  God !  What !  Dost  thou 
declare  this  ! — that  I,  that  is,  one  born  from  my  loins 
shall  be  equal  M'ith  thee,  be  in  the  same  place,  and  be 
Lord  and  the  Ruler  of  thy  eternal  kingdom !  Yes,  it  is 
to  be  so !  This  is  declared  to  me — that  this  same  my 
Son  is  to  be  also  thine,  and  truly  and  naturally  God, 
who  shall  rule  with  a  power  and  majesty  equal  to  thy- 
self!  O  marvel!  To  what,  thou  good  God,  dost  thou 
raise  me ! — It  now  follows. 

Thou  hast  looked  upon  me  as  in  the  form  of  man^ 
who  J  on  high  J  is  the  Lord  God* 

I  know  that  nearly  all  Hebraists  translate  this 
passage  far  differently.  But  yet  there  are  some,  aiid 
among  those  Bernardus  Ziglerus,  a  man  most  deeply 
eurquainted  with  the  Hebrew,  who  testify  that  these 
words,  according  to  their  grammatical  construction, -may 

*  .Thia  is  Luther's  translation  of  2  Sam.vii.  19,  literaUy  rendered 
from  the  Latin  of  Rorary. — 'See  Luther*s  own  reasons  in  the  text, 
and  in  pages  219  and  332. 


91S 

be  rightly  and  properly  rendered  as  I  have  translated 
them. — Here  therefore  David  clearly  confesses,  that 
this  Messiah  who  should  be  born  of  him  would  be  truljr 
^^  man^'  in  the  very  same  nature,  form,  gesture,  and  habit 
or  manner  of  life  as  other  men  ;  just  as  Paul  also  speaks, 
Philip,  ii.  7,  "  Being  found  in  fashion  as  a  man."  And 
yet  he  adds,  that  this  "  man,"  "  on  high,"  or  above, 
(where  the  whole  is  ordered,  not  in  a  human  manner  or 
fashion,  but  in  a  divine,  that  is,  where  he  is  truly  God 
himself,  and  rules  in  his  eternal  majesty  and  power), 
"  is  the  Lord' God." 

This,  I  say,  is  the  meaning  of  this  saying  of  David 
expressed  in  clear  words.  And  this  forms  the  reason 
why  he  ^aid  just  before,  being  overcome  with  astonish- 
ment, '  To  what,  O  Lord  God,  to  what  height  dost  thou 
exalt  me ! '  and  so  also  here  he  says, '  What  is  the  reasoa 
why  thou  lookest  thus  upon  me  ! '  '  In  what  light  dost 
thou  look  upon  me  a  poor,  miserable,  unworthy  man, 
that  thou  shouldst  will,  that  my  Son  should  be  the  Lord 
and  King  of  thy  eternal  king4om.'  That  is,  David 
understood  that  such  a  power  and  glory  as  to  be  King 
of  the  divine  and  eternal  kingdom,  could  be  applied  to 
no  one,  but  to  him  who  is  truly  and  naturally  God. 

Since,  therefore,  this  Son  of  David  is  without  doubt 
truly  Man,  and  (with  respect  to  his  Person)  distinct 
from  the  Father  by  whom  he  was  appointed  King  of 
the  eternal  kingdom ;  and  since,  nevertheless,  there 
cannot  be  two  Gods,  nor  more  than  One  God ;  David 
himself  here,  by  an  incontrovertible  conclusion  affirms, 
that  the  Messiah,  the  Son  promised  unto  him,  is  truly 
and  naturally  God ;  but  so,  that  he  is  not  a  different 
God  from  the  Father,  but  a  distinct  Person  in  the  one 
same  indivisible  essence  of  Godhead. — And  to  these 
are  added  the  Holy  Ghost,  a  true  God  proceeding  from 
the  Father  and  the  Son,  who  speaks  these  things  by  the 
prophets  Nathan  and  David ;  a  Third  Person  of  the  one 
same  essence ;  because,  no  other  could  reveal  these 
secret  things  concerning  the  essential  God.   . 

And  this  is,  properly,  that  doctrine  and  faith  whicji 
are  delivered  in  the  New  Testament. — That  Jesus  Christ 


1^ 


21S 

Nazareth,  the  Son  of  David,  who  was  bom  of  his 
3ther  the  Virgin  Mary,  that  is,  was  truly  Man,  is  truly 
B  co-equal  co-eternal  Son  of  God,  and  of  the  one 
me  divine  essence  with  God  the  Father  and  the  Holy 
host,  though  their  Persons  are  distinct. 

Since,  therefore,  the  words  of  David  in  this  place, 
ednly,  and  without  offending  against  any  grammatical 
opriety,  but  according  to  the  nature  of  the  Hebrew 
anner  of  expression,  give  this  meaning;  the  same  ought, 
ithout  doubt,  to  be  received  by  us  who  confess  Christ, 
>r  ought  we  to  seek  after  or  listen  to  any  other  that  may 
5  set  before  us.  —Let  us  then  receive  this  as  the  sure 
id  genuine  meaning  as  revealed  from  heaven,  and  let 
J  reject  all  other  interpretations  as  searched  out,  ob- 
jurely  forced,  and  wrested  by  human  reason.  For  the 
3ctrine  of  the  New  Testament,  which  is  the  interpreter 
F  the  prophets,  is  certain,  and  by  no  means  fallacious, 
herefore,  the  interpretation  of  the  Books  of  the  Old 
'estament  which  accords  with  the  New,  cannot  at  all  be 
oubtful. 

And  here,  if  any  one  should  ask, — If  then  these 
rords  of  David  and  also  of  the  prophet  Nathan  set 
>rth  the-  doctrine  of  the  article  concerning  the  divinity 
f  Christ,  what  is  the  reason  that  no  one  of  the  old 
writers,  nor  of  the  recent  translators,  saw  this  to  be  the 
(leaning  of  the  words,  noir  ever  referred  to  them  as  bear- 
ag  such  a  testimony  ?  And  how  is  it  that  you  Hebraists 
bat  have  recently  risen  up,  have  been  the  first  that  saw 
liings  so  acutely  ?  Or,  how  is  it  that  the  Jewish  Rabbins, 
rho  must  be  allowed  to  have  been  well  acquainted  with 
heir  own  language,  gave  no  such  interpretation? — I 
inswer :  It  is  evident  that  the  Hebrew  language  and  its 
K>oks  were  known  very  little,  and  by  very  few,  in  those 
iges  that  inmiediately  followed  the  times  of  the  apostles: 
md  that,  as  I  imagine,  arose  from  the  obstinate  malice 
)f  the  Jews,  because  they  would  not  that  their  books 
hould  be  read,  or  the  Hebrew  language  known,  by  our 
>rethren ;  and  would  have  no  intercourse  with  us,  on 
iccount  of  our  blasphemies  (as  they  would  have  them  to 
)e.)    Wherefore,  godly  writers  were  content  with   the 


S14 

festimoniee  of  the  books  of  the  New  Testament,  in  which 
tb^y  abound.  But  the  same  doctrines  wefe  by  no  means 
obscure  to  the  prophets  and  apostles  themselves ;  as  wilf 
£lppear  suffideritly  plain' from  what  will  hereafter  foUd^. 

But  that  the  Rabbins*  of  the  Jews  saw  nothing  of 
these  things,  and  that  they  purposely  corrupted  ^nd 
miserably  perverted  and  tore  that  meaning  that  was 
delivered  in  the  clearest  manner,  was  the  punishment  that 
naas  justly  inflicted  on  them,  that  they  might  not  see,  wImjd 
they  chose  rather  to  be  blind  :  as  Isaiah  prophesied  bif 
them  long  before,  sayingi  that  it  should  come  to  pies, 
^thdt  those  who  should  see,  should  not  see  nor  under- 
stand.' And  hence  it  follows,  that  our  modern  Rabbins, 
their  disciples,  by  following  their  own  masters;  must  be 
blind  also.  Nor  should  we  otirselves  have  seen  these 
things^ 'hiad  not  the  light  of  the  New  Testament  moved 
before  us;  so  that  the  veil  being  removed,  we.midlt 
Ibofc  steadfestly  on-  the  face  of  the  Old ;  but'  without  3ie 
New,  the  scrijrtnre  of  thte  Old  Testament  has  still  a  veil 
over  it,  as  Paul  saith,  2  Cor.  iii. 

And-  look  even  at  thfe  mett  of  our  age,  "wlien.  the 
doctrine  of  the  Gospel  concerning  grace  and  the  benefits 
of 'Christ  is^6a  clearly  delivered  to  us  against  that  impiotfS 
and  presumptuous  confidence^  in  our  own  works  and 
righteousness; — ^how  feware  there  who  understand*  this 
and  seriously  embrace  it !  And  whose  vice  and  fault  is. 
this  ?  What  is  there  wanting  unto  the  ail-clear  light  of  the 
doctrine  ?  These  things  are  c^tainly  so  clearly  preached, 
tacrght,  read;  written,  and  even  proclaimed  openly,  set 
before  our  eyes  in  sculpture  and  painting,  and .  so 
assiduously  enforced,  that  they  might  hav^  become  knowTi 
almost  to  stones  and  stocks,  so  continueJly  have  they 
sounded  in  the  ears  of  all.  And  yet,  the  popes,  the 
kings,  the  princes^  the  bishops,  the  doctors;  the  great, 
the  nobles,  the  citizens,  and  the  peasants,  cannot  be 
induced  to  embrace  them  ;  but  with  open  eyes  and  seeing, 
they  pass  by  them  blind^  and  with  open  ears  they  rem&in 
deaf  to  them ;  that  is,  their  minds  and  understandings 
wander  as  far  from  thejn  as  if  they  were  in  aiiother  woila, 
and  attending  to  things  the  most  diverse. 


S15 

So,  the  prophets  prophesied,  in '  their  taxtfe^  of  Christ, 
witb  sofficient  clearness;  ntoely,  as  being  truly  and 
naturally  God,  as  is  here  dfeda^  \ty  D^d.  BM  a 
trery  few  only  among  that  people  thted  to  bdlfeve  ^tto 
words  of  the  prophets,  and  all  the  rest  were  utterly  bKnd 
and  deaf  to  them,  and  followed  the  imaginatioiis^iof  their 
owii  hearts.  And  therefore,  thi6  doctrine  of  the«Oospel, 
{ps  Christ  and  Paul  also  say,  is  rightly  called-,  and  is  "  the 
mystery,  (or  the  secret  thing)  of  the  kingdom'  of 
heaven/''  And  hence;  he  that  understands  it  aad 
ijenbusly  embraces  it,  has  reason  indeed  to  gfve>  thanks 
uiito  God,  and  should  utterly  set  himself  against  the 
rest'  of  the  multitude  who  despise'that  divine  gift. 

AND   what    thinkest    thou  of   the    prophet 
Isaiah  ?   Dosl  thou  not  judge  that  he  had 
read  and  diligently  looked  into  these  words  of  David, 
when  he  thus  prophesies  concerning  Christ,  chap.  ix.  ? 

For  unto  us  a  child  is  born,  unto  us  a  Son  is  given : 
and  the  government  shall  be  upon  his  shoulder:  and 
his  name  shall  be  called  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  the 
mighty  God,  the  Father  of  Eternity,  the  Prince  qf 
Peace.  And  his  government  shall  increase,  and  of 
his  peace  there  shall  be  no  end,  upon  the  throne  of 
David,  and  upon  his  kingdom,  to  order  it  and  to  establish 
it  withjtulgment  and  with  justice,  from  henceforth,  even 
for  ever. 

Here  Isaiah  goes  on  prophesying  condensing  Christ, 
as  if  he  followed  the  words  as  he  received  them  from 
the  mouth  of  Nathan ; — that  he  shouM  be  an  etemal> 
Kiiig,  and  indeed  "  the  Father  of  eternity,"  in  the  king- 
dom of  Grod ;  and  he  gives  him  the  name  and  appellatiott 
of  God  particularly,  (as  David  also  does  in  the  passage 
in  question.)  For  although  the  Hebrew  word  El,  in  its 
simple  and  primary  meaning,  signifies  ^  strong,'  yet, 
(Vhen  it  is  given  as  a  proper  name,  as  it  is  every 
wheTO  in  the  Scripture,  it  has  plainly  the  same  signi- 
Scation  as  God ;  that  is,  the  being  to  whom  alone 
^long  alt  strength  and  mighC;  as*  the  Jews  and  all  who 


216 

are  acquainted  with  the  Hebrew  well  know,  and  will  at 
once  testify.  Therefore,  Isaiah  agrees  and  is  in  harmony 
with  David  and  the  scripture  of  the  New  Testament, — 
that  Christ  is  an  eternal  King  and  naturally  God.  And 
therefore  his  government  is  eternal  and  truly  divine,  in 
the  kingdom,  or  "  upon  the  throne  of  David." 

Isaiah  especially  weighs  these  words  '  eternal  king- 
dom,' when  God  says  unto  David  by  Nathan,  "  I  will 
establish  him  (thy  seed  or  Son)  in  my  kingdom  for  ever," 
and  he  perceives  with  sufficient  clearness,  that  these 
things  are  spoken,  (as  David  also  understands  them,) 
concerning  "  the  Man"  who  is  of  necessity,  "  on  high," 
El,  that  is,  God.  For  the  possession  of  the  eternal 
kingdom  of  God,  and  kingly  power  and  dominion  in  it, 
cannot  belong  to  any  one  who  is  man  only :  nor  can  it 
be  such  a  dominion  as  is  of  this  world,  that  is  political, 
corporal,  and  that  will  at  some  time  cease ;  the  king  of 
which  and  his  posterity  must  of  necessity  cea^e  from 
their  government  by  death.  But  you  hear,  that 
this  Son  of  David  is  to  be  an  eternal  King  in  the 
eternal  kingdom  of  God ;  and  that,  (as  Isaiah  beauti- 
fully saith  in  harmony  with  this,)  "  of  his  peace  there 
shall  be  no  end ; "  and  moreover,  that  this  same  Son  of 
David,  which  is  an  infant  Son  "  born"  and  "  given" 
unto  us,  is  "  the  Father  of  eternity,"  and  "  the  Prince  | 
of  Peace,"  "  from  henceforth  even  for  ever."  It  must 
of  necessity  follow,  therefore,  that  he  must  be  truly  the 
God  who  is  called  El,  who  can  thus  by  his  divine 
power  and  might  give  and  preserve  eternal  peace. 

But  the  same  prophet  Isaiah  has  frequently  made 
mention  of  this  eternity  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah 
elsewhere :  as  in  chap.  li.  4 — 6.  "  Hearken  unto  me, 
my  people,  and  give  ear  unto  me,  O  my  nation :  for  a 
law  shall  proceed  from  me,  and  I  will  make  my  judg- 
ment to  rest  for  a  light  of  the  people.  My  righteousness 
is  near,  my  salvation  is  gone  forth."  And  a  little  after- 
wards, "  My  salvation  shall  be  for  ever,  and  my  righteous- 
ness shall  not  be  abolished." 

This  is  that  everlasting  righteousness  concerning 
which  Daniel,  ix.  24,  prophesies;  "  Seventy  wjgeks  are 


V 


defermiiked  Upoa  thy  pdo|^^^to  bring  inieveilastittg 
ili^fteousnesfi—icilid  to  anoint  the  Most  Holy/-  . 

l^is  righteousness  is  the  Messiah  himselfvas'fdl  thri. 
antient  Hebraists  interpiret  it :  aad  the  comm^il.  versioa 
of  that  padsiage  of  Isaiah  has  it^  *^  my  ri^tepus  one^^: 
aiid  **  my  Saviour/'  As,  thero^Mre)  eternal  righteousness 
and  salvation  can  belong  to  no  one  that  is  man  only, 
nor  even  to  the  nature  of  angels ;  it  must  of  necessity 
follow,  that  this  Person  to  whom  this  appellation  is  ap^ 
plied  must  be  truly  and  naturally  God ;  and  yet  so,  tluit 
the  same  is  the  Son  of  David  and  a  Person  distinct 
from  the  Father,  who  Says  of  him,  ^^  my  righteousness'! 
and  ^^  my  salvation."  And  the  Third  Person  is  the  Holy 
Ghost,  who  speaks  these  things  by  the  vocal  Word  con- 
cerning both  die  Father  and  the  Son.  In  the  same  wiay 
also  does  the  New  Testament  speak  concerning  Chris^ 
1  Cor.  i.  30,  saying  that  Jesus  Christ  ^^  is  made  Unto  us 
wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctification,  dnd  redemption!" 
So  beautifully  does  Paul  harmonize  with  Isaiah,  and 
Isaiah  with  F^ul ! 

So  also  the  same  Isaiah>  chap.  Ix.  19,  SO,  saith, 
^^  The  sun  shall  be  no  more  thy  light  by  day,  neither  f<>r 
brightness  shalUthe  moon  give  her  li^t  unto  thee :  ibut 
the  Lord  shall  be  unto  thee  an  everlasting  light,  and  thy 
God  thy  glory.  Thy  sun  shall  no  more  go  down,  neither 
shall  thy  moon  withdraw  itself j  for  the.Lc^  shall  be 
thine  everlasting  light,  and  the  days  of  thy  mourning 
shall  be  ended." 

-Here  it  is  plainly  said,  that  the  "  everiasting  light" 
is  the  Lord  our  God  himself.  And  it  is  the  Lord 
speaking  of  the  Lord ;  that  is,  he  that  speaks  is  one 
Person,  and  he  concerning  whom  it  is  spoken  is  another; 
as  is  plainly  to  be  seen  from  the  context  of  the  whcde 
chapter.  For  in  the  whole  of  that  chapter,  even  unto  the 
end,  it  is  not  the  Person  of  Isaiah,  but  of  God;  thctf 
is  represented  as  speaking.  This  "  L6rd,  (saith  the  Lord 
who  afterwards  saith  concerning  hims^rlf,  "  I  the  Lord 
will  hasten  it  in  his  time,)  shall  be  thy  everlasting  light,^" 
&c.  Whiqh  Lord  is  it  then  that  saith  these*  things  ?  it  is 
without  doubt  God  Uie  Falhar  t(imi!telf«  Ai!|Klri¥fek^  J^rd 
VOL.  ii.  a 


iR9 

18  lt4^tiMRiitie  whom  it  is  said  ^  A^  Lord  shafl'be^ 
everlasting  U^bt? "  What  other  but  the  Son  of  G^ 
Jiifkis  For  this  name  in  the  Hebrew  text  is  what 

we  ^eisU  the  Utr&grenimatonj  which  pecfoliariy  and  pro- 
perly belongs  to  th^  Goklhead  alone,  and  which,  for  the 
fvttpoBe  of  distinction,  we  ate  -accustomed  to  write  in 
4^biGBd  letters.  And  who  is  it  that  declares  aU  the^ 
Ibiitigs  through  the  woulji  'and  l^  the  tongue  of  the 
ptofphet?  Who,  but  Oikl  the  Holy  Ohost  Speaking  by 
Ifa^  pdr(^he(s,  and,  as  it  wete^  introducing  die  Perton  (^ 
God  the  Father  speaking  concerning  the  '^  everlast^ 
l^ht?  "  ^dt  is,  ^eonccflrtiing  his  Son  the  Lord  Jesus  of 
tfaigaiieth,  the  Son  of  Dfe^  iwtf  ^f  the  Vir|in  Mary  ? 
i  Ulis  ''  everlasting  light,''^ati£i  so,  thi3i  Lord,  is  cer- 
^i^l^m^it^r  «mi  Only,  n^r  «n  Wtml.  And  moreovjgr, 
lllis  :^Q{di0(^>  df  Isaftf^  a@E^^  'Wim  ^  W«ds  of  (^ 
'"New  T4^tafiient  'l^dr^tlhriM  hiniself  som^tknei^  calls 
K^sis/tf '' the  iight."^  AndJolm  saidvchap.  i.  4, ''  The 
life  wi^11«8  It^t  of'itten.  And  the  li^  shiitetii  in  dark- 
ness, and  the  darkness  comprehended  it  liM:."  As,  tbere- 
$^yt\t^  words  of  the  prophecy  so  ei^actly  agree  with 
tlie  ddlfmir^  of  the  New  Testament,  th^  undoubtedly 
JQiahnot'be  n^delh^od  otherwise  than  conc^ping  Jesiis 
Chntski  who  has  himself  prepared  for  us  a  kingdom^  tM. 
'(tahteet  to  this  sim  and  light,  (for  mth  a  kinjgdom  must 
'of  necessity  perish,)  but  he  shows  forth  hknself  unto  ns 
;as  the  lig^t,  the  sun  and  inoon,  the  life,' af^  the  Ova- 
tion of  this  eternal  kingdom :  as  Isaiah  hath  said  in  the 
pr^ediftg' 5  tst  chap.'ver.  6,  "  Lift  up  your  eyes  to  the 
Heavens,  and  look  upon  t^e  ^arth  beneath:  for  the 
iieaveiiS'^iaJll  Danish  away  ^  like  siBoke,  and  the  earth 
;diall  wax  old  like  a  garment,  and  th^y  l^at  dwdl 
ikerein 'shidl  die 'in  like  manner:  but  my  sUlvatioii 
aijall  be  for  ever,  and 'iny  righteousness  shall  not  be 
%b6lifehed:'V 

-  Here  then  tell  mie,  I  pray  you, — How  can  that 
imamnation  of  the  Jews  conc^ning  the  Messiah,  (that 
*hb  shpafd  be  a  mortal  or  corporiEU  and  earthly  King, 
and  should  rule  at  Jerusdem  in  a  political  manner,) 
^igMe  willrtfais  and  ^  like  dielaiftticms  of  l^  prophets? 


81^ 

For  God, here  m^ifestly/ and  by  a  dinqct  f^taJt^esis,  ;Qpr. 
poses  his  Messif^i  and  hjs*  kingdom  to ; this;  o^r  beftven 
£md  eieurth,  andrdeclares  that  this  heaven  ^^ph^  vfifiisii 
away  Jiife  smoke,"  (whfch  certainly  cannot  ti^e  pl^?: 
without  fire  and  burning^^as  it  is  spoken  of  2  Pet  iii.  1(>«)^ 
that  thei.ear^  ^^  shall  wax  odd  like  a  garment"  and  tliM' 
"  tiiey. that  dwell  therein  shaH  die  in  like  manner.'*  But^ 
saith  he,^  ^  iqy  salvation  which  is  now  and  ^er  ;iQar»/ 
am}  lOy  righteousness  which  is  gone  forth,  sh^ll  be  for 
^yer,  and  shall  be  ^n  eyerlastiqg  light ;  for  this  righteoUn-. 
ness  is  the"  Lord  thy  God  hiqa^lf/ 

Hqife  you  see  tha,t  Isaiah  certainly  updei^stogd  the 
wQr^  of  the  prophet  Nathan^  whp  introduces  GOd 
saying,  ^^  I  ^ill  he  to  him'  a  Ffitl)§r,  and  he  shall  be  to 
in^rft  Spn-r;!  will  set.  him  over  my  kingdom  for  evet ;  " 
aJQ^.  ;t;h^t  he  undei^tood  also  t^e^  wordp  oCD^Vidi 
>^^^  ;|f6  9d.y^i  ^^  Itiou  hast  loQJ^ed  upqn  m0  as  in 
the-  ig^  of  m^,  y[hOf  on  high,  is  the  X^i^'  God," 
9:.S§{n.  vii(,;19 :  where^the  iqeaning  is  tw  jsam^  as  YirW 
Il}ave  now  gi^en;  only  the  expression  is^mot^brief^crr 
^*  This  is  the  law  (or  manQ^r)  of  the  ^aji),:;t})Q  LiOfd 
Grgid.?'  For  t|ie  reading  of  the  common:  y^^ion  Ux  thitf 
passage,  **Is  diis  the'  law  of  ip^ui,  "O  Lord  Gpd?*.'  wJtfiJli 
is  a^cocM'ding  toi the  interpretation  of  the  ^Habl^Mbs,  sighj^ 
nothing  a^  all !  *  ^     f  o 

|D  UT  let  US'  hear  also  thp  prbphet  Damol,"  who 
exactly  agrees  with  this  proi^etical  pagsag^ 
chap.  vii.  IS,  14,  where  he  says, 

^^  And  Isdv)  in  the  night  visions j  and  behold  one  liht 
the  son  qf  man  came  with  the  clouds  of  heaven  j  and  canuf 
to  the  Antient  of  days,  and  they  brought  him  near  bdfoft 
him.  A  nd  there  was  given  him  dominion  and  glory j  dpd 
a  kingdom  that,  all  people^  nations,  and  langtutgesy  shj^jd 
serve  him :  his  aoMnion  is  an  everlasting  dominitm 
which  shall  not  pass  away,  and. his  kingdom  thatwhfch 
shall  not  be  destroyed.^'  -i 

•  ■  ■ 

This  passage  is  not  pbj^Ure  to  us  .CHri$ti$uis.  But 
let  Us  see  bow  it  ^agmets  also  wi^h  the  New  Xi^VoV 

Q  2 


m 


to 

iij 


i 


230 

ment.— Daniel  saw  a  "  son  of  man"  in  the"  **  clouds :  ** 
by  which  it  is  undoubtedly  signified,  that  his  kingdom 
would  be,  not  earthly,  perishable,  or  measurable  by 
time,  but  heavenly  and  eternal.  And  therefore,  the 
prophet  says,  that  "  the  Antient  of  days,'*  or  God  the 
Father,  gave  him  power  over  all  things,  and  that  his  ^ 
power  shall  be  "  everlasting,"  and  3mll  "  not  pass 
away."  This  eternity  or  "everlasting  dominion"  can 
be  given  to  no  one  that  is  a  creature  only,  nor  to  an  an- 
gelic nature,  nor  to  a  mere  man ;  for  it  is  properly 
aivine,  or  a  power  and  dominion  belonging  to  God  only. 

For,  what  would  Gdd  have  above  me  creature,  or  '^ 
what  would  he  reserve  as  peculiar  to  himself,  if  he 
should  put  off  his  eternal  poWer  and  eternal  dominion, 
and  give-  them  to  another?  He  would  thus  leave  nothing  I" 
to  hiniself  whatever,  and  he  himself  would  be  reduced  j^ 
to  nothing,  and  some  other  would  take  his  place  to 
whom  he  had  ^ven  over  his  eternal  power !    For  it  is 
certain  that  nothing  whatever  can  consist  apart  from,  or 
above,  this  eternal  pow«- :  because,  this  itself  compre- 
hends air  things  in  all  nature,  and  allows  of  hotMng  to 
be  apart  from  it,  above  it,  or  greater  or  equal  to  itself. 
Wherefore,  it  must  of  necessity  follow,  that  this  Person 
to  whom  eternal  dominion  is  communicated,  is  the  One 
only  God,  the  Creator  of  all  things. 

And  moreover,  Damiel  in  this  passage  expressively 
sets  forth  the  articles  concerning  the  Three  Persons  in 
the  Godhead,  and  the  human  nature  of  the  Son.  For 
he  who  gives,  and  he  who  receives,  must/  of  necessity, 
be  distinct  persons.  That  is,  it  is  the  Person  of  the 
Father  that  gives  tfawp  "  everlasting  dominion "  to  the 
Son :  and  it  is  the  Person  of  the  Son  that  holds  it  as 
received  from  the  Father :  and  that  from  aU  eternity, 
without  any  beginning  or  end  of  time :  otherwise,  it 
could  not  be  truly  said  to  be  "  everlasting  dominion." 
And  to  theiiis  is  added  the  Third  Person  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  who  speaks  by  the  prophet  Daniel.>  For  no  one 
could  know  such  great  tmd  deep  things  as  these,  unless 
they  were  revealed  untb  him  from  above  by  the  Holy 
<jAimtf  and  by  the  Voice  iuid  nrtriistYy  of  the  prophets,; 


sill 

a3  we  have  often  observed  alrendy  ;^— that  it  was  the 
Holy  Ghost  that  spoke  by  tl^  prophets  in  the  scrip- 
tures. Moreover,  the  prophet  plainly  calls  this  Son  of 
God  to  whom  this  **  everlasting  dominion  "  is  siven,  a 
^^  son  of  man;"  that  is,  truly  man  and  the  Son  of 
David.-r-You  see,  therefore,  how  diligently  the  prophets 
considered  and  set  forth  this  article — the  "  everlasting 
kingdom  "  spoken  of  in  this  promise  that  was  filjade  to 
.  David  by  the  prophet  .    /. 

But  here,  that  human  reason  becomes  offended, 
and  that  fastidious  wisdom  which  in  many  things  would 
teach  God  himself,  begins  to  answer  and  to  dispute  in 
opposition  thus, — *  How  can  it  be  that  God  should 
give  to  any  other  that  eternal  power,  which  so  properly 
.  belongs  to  himself  that  it  cannot  be  separated  from  the 
divine  essence  itself,  and  without  which  he  can  be  no 
longer  God  ?  For  when  this  is  thus  given  to  another, 
what  will  he  retain  to  himself?  And  moreover,  (isay 
they,)  in  the  passage  of  Isaiah  before  cited,  chap.  xlu.  8, 
God  declares  that  he  "  will  not  give  his  glory  to 
another,  nor  his  praise  to  graven  images."  Atid  certainly 
he  cannot  give  such  a  power  to  any  man ;  for  man  did 
not  exist  from  eternity,  but  began  Jn  time,  and  was  bom 
mortal.' — But  this  even  we  Christians  alao  believe  and 
confess  concerning  Jesus  the  Son  of  David,  and  the 
Virgin. — Thus  you  hear  that  very  exalted  wisdom  prate 
which  is  supposed  to  have  come  down  from  heaven !  of 
which  kind,  is  the  wisdom  of  the  Jews,  the  Mahonle- 
tans,  and  the  Turks ;  and,  add  to  these  if  you  will,  of 
the  Scythii^s,  who  are  now  called  Tartars,  who  are  all 
men  of  that  boundless  wisdom,  that  they  can  as  it  were 
measure  and  exactly  ascertain  by  the  span  of  their  reason 
the  incomprehensible  immensity  of  the  Godhead,  and 
wisely  prove  that  God  could  not  beget  a  Son  because 
he  has  no  wife!  O  shame,  shame!  And  be  thou 
ashamed,  O  Satan,  and  ye  Jews  and  Mahometans,  his 
satellites, 'and  all  ye  that  are  of  this  reprobate  school  of 
Satan,  who,  leaving  and  casting  away  the  Word  of  God, 
listen  to  and  follow  fooUsh,  blind,  and  miserable  human 
jneaaon  as  yourguide  in  things  so  great  and  so  deeply 


Aysteridiiis;  which  jhe  capacity  of  no  ^ireatave  can  em- 
il^raee  y^h  all  iti^  pdWers,  nor  any  one  biit  God  himself, 
and  tts  iK^ho  heat  the^  Word  of  God,  as  far  ad  the  Holy 
Ghoist  shall  revedt  it  unto  us  by  thfe  prophets! 
^  We  Christians^' how^ive^,  who  are  illuminated  with 
thehght  of  the  Kew  Testament,  can  easily,  plainly, 
'  Ihth*,  and  readily  aniswer  to  such  objections  as  these. — 
'h  <feariy  rikaintain,  that  therfe  sxe  in  our  Lord  and  Sa- 
viour two  natures  in  the  one  Person  of  the  Son  of  G6Q. 
And  yet,  thete  are  not  two,  nor  is  th^  Logos  the  Son 
bi  God  brie,  and  the  Son  of  the  Virgin  another,  ^as 
Nestorius  impiotisly  dreams;)  but  the  same  is  oAe 
Ghrist,  the  Son  of  God  and  of  the  Virgin.-  And  he  re- 
^fceited  that  eti^mal  power,  that  is,  the  divinity  itself, 
fk)m  before  his  nativity ;  not  in  tikn^  but  in  eternity. 
And  the  eternal  Father  delivered  tl^  tb  faira  wholly  axKl 
p^ffeet  front  eternity ;  so  that  he  hinxself  hias  it  everhst- 
toffly.  And  yet,  not  so  that  the  Fatltor  deprived  him- 
Ikdf  of  itj  But,  that  same  p6wer  which,  properly  and 
IvhpUy  belong  to  the  Father,  and  which  he  hinisdf  h^ 
h^  whoBy  from  eternity,  and  still  hplds  eternally ;  — 
that  same  power  I  say,  he  al$o  cbmmunicaXed  to  the 
Soil,  and  yet  that  same  power  is  equally  and  pecnlkrly 
Moiigfng  to  each  Person !  Rightly^  therefore,  and  truly 
i^it  said,  Isaidh  xlii.  8;  "  My  glOry  will  I  not  give  to 
imother,  neither  niy  praise  to  graven  images."  For  the 
Son  of  God  is  not  another  God,  nor  an  idol,  but,  toge- 
ther witfi  th^  Father,  the  only  One  eternal  God  ! 
^  Thus  Christ  hitnself  saith,  John  xvi.  15,  ''  All  things 
that  the  Father  hath  are  mine." — He  here  declares 
tiiat  the  Father  has  all  things,  and  that  he  did  not 
t^ase  to  retain  all  things  after  he  had  giveh  them  to  the 
Son,  but  has  all  things  still.  And  yet  He  does  not  say 
that  he  ha^  all  things  alone,  or  that  the  Father  has  all 
things  •  alone,  so  as  that  the  Son  should  not  have  the 
'^kme  thitigs  also.  Butj  says  he,  ^  The  Father  hath  all 
things;  and  yet,  all  things  that  the  Father  hath  are 
ifiide.'  Here  this  very  particular  is  clearly  declared,-^ 
tteAt  th6  eternal  Father  and  the  Son  have  eadi  the 
^mh  Di viidty:  and  that,  frbln  ihe  Father  and  the  Scm 


having  all  tbingB,  the;  Holy  Ghost  i)eceivea^  th^:  ^vlng 
of  all  thin^  also:  as  Christ  saith  in  t^  same  placeu 
"  He  shall  receive  of  nune/'&c.  Receive  of  mv  what  ? 
Undoubtedlyyof  th^t  which  the  Father  has  also !  TJiejpB- 
fore,  the  Holy  Ghost  receives  from  ^  Father  and  the 
Son  the  same  full  and  perfect  Diyini^  -from  everlastiog 
to  everlasting. 

Againr  t)hrist  sailb,  John  v.  £6,  ''As.  the  Father 
hath  l2e  in  himseli^  so  buath  he  given  tp  the  Soql  t0  hay^^ 
life  in  himself.''  And  ver,  22.  f^S,  '•  ^oy.  as  the  Fadwtr 
raiseth  up  the  dead  and  quickenetb  them :  even  so  the 
3on  quickeneth.  whom  be  wilL  That  all  H;ien  should 
honour  the  Son  evm  as  they  honour  the  Father."— Thjis 
far  have  I  spoken  of  that  eternal  divine  generatiotf.  Qt 
nature  of  the  Son !  , 

And  now,  as  to  the  other  nature  or  tixekutnfft^ 
nature  of  Christ,  which  began  in  time — the  eternal 
power  of  God  is  given  unto  him  thus  also:  but,  aS:]( 
said,  not  from  eternity,  or  before  the  beginmng  of  timef : 
because  Christ  was  not  Man,  or  the  human  nation  oJT 
Christ  did  not  exist  like  the  divine,,  from  eteniity.  For, 
according  to  our  mode  of  calculation  or  reckoning  of 
time,  this  Jesus,  the  Son  of  Mary,  was  born  IS4S  years 
ago  from  the  time  of  my  writine  this  treat^i^.  But  from 
that  moment  of  time  when  the  human  naiiire  iK[as  joined 
to,  and  taken  into  union  with,  the  divine,  intone  Person  ^ 
from  that  moment,  I  say,  this  Son  of  the  Vic^  tru^ 
is,  and  is  called,  the  Eternal  God  having  an  etem^ 
power,  the  Creator  and  Preserver  of  all  thin^, — that  is, 
by  a  communication  of  identity,  he  is  one  Person  with 
the  divine  nature ;  and  so,  truly  God ! 

And  this  is  the  same  that  Christ  saith,  Matt.  xi.  $L7, 
"  All  things  are  delivered  unto  me  of  my  Father*/ 
And,  Matt,  xxviii.  18,  "  All  power  is  given  unto  miB 
in  heaven  and  in  earth."  Unto  what,  me?  Unt9  VlZ 
Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the  Son  of  the  Virgin,  bom  of  maft ! 
And  though  that  power  was  mine  from  eternity  before  I 
assumed  human  nature,  yet,  after  I  became  Man,  I  ^ 
ceived  the  same  power  in  time,  according  to  my  human 
nature;  but  yet,  I  did  not  laake  a  show  of  the  saipje 


484 

Openly  in  this  my  tiikie  of  infirmity  and  the  cross,  until 
my  resurrection  and  ascension,  or  my  return  unto  the 
Father,  when  it  first  became  me  to  be  manifested  and 
openly  glorified :  as  Paul  smth  Rom.  i.  ,4,  "  Who  was 
declared,  (or  clearly  manifested,)  to  be  the  Son  of  God 
^ith  power.**  And  this  is  what  John  expressively  calls 
his  being  "  glorified,"  (being  clearly,  openly,  apd  glo^ 
riously  preached  and  acknowledged  to  be  the  Son  of 
God,)  when  he  says,  "  Now  the  Holy  Ghost  was  not 
yet  given,  because  mat  Jesus  was  not  yet  glorified." 

Now  THEN,  reader,  judge  thou  for  thyself,  whether 
Daniel  does  not  agree  as  it  were  by  a  very  rule,  with  the 
prophet  Isaiah,  when  he  speaks  of  the  "  son  of  man  ** 
receiving  from  God  an*  "  everlasting  dominion"  and 
power?  whether  he  does  not  also  agree  with  Nathan 
find  David,  when  they  say,  that  God-  would  set  up 
this  Son  of  David  as  King  in  his  eternal  kingdom  ? 
and  whethej  all  this  is  not  said,  (as  David  expresses 
it)  concerning  that  ^^  Man  who  is,  on  hi^  the  ^ord 
God?" 

But  there  is  cause  for  much  lamentation,  that  we 
who  are  Christians,  and  who  receive  this  unmeasurable 
and  unspeakable  benefit,  which  is  delivered  to  us  in  so 
much  light,  and  with  such  an  abundance  of  testimony 
both  in  the  New  and  Old  Testament,  do  not  embrace 
the  same  with  that  greatness  of  joy,  and  return  for  it 
that  gratitude,  that  we  ought!  It  would  be  nothing 
strange  or  wonderful,  if  any  godly  man,  could  his  heart 
once  get  to  behold  and  fully  and -completely  apprehend 
the  greatness  of  this  unspeakable  matter,  should  on  a 
sudden  and  in  a  moment  be  killed  with  excess  of  joy, 
and  be  revived  again  in  a  moment  by  the  power  of  the 
same  joy !  For  what  can  be  described  or  thought  of 
more  wonderful,  than,  that  God  is  now  truly  Man  ?  that 
he  conversed  together  with  us  men,  dwelt  among  us, 
lived  after  our  manner  of  life,  and  at  last  died  for  us  ? 
David  was  most  certainly  astonished  at  so  great  a 
thing,  and,  as  one  deprived  of  his  faculties  with  joy, 
'  knew  not  what  to  say,  and  could  only  utter  these  ex- 
pressions of  one   loflit  in  anazementi  ^ Who  am  11 


What  am  I !  What  is  my  house,  that  thoo  hast  exalted 
me  to  this !        * 

THHESE  things  have  I  so  far  spoken  concerning 
the  words  of  the  passage  2  Sam.  vii.  1 — 17, 
to  which  these  **  last  worm  of  David  "  have  refer- 
ence, and  upon  which  they  are  grounded, — that  is,  that 
this  Messiah  is,  of  necessity,  traly  and  naturally  both  God 
and  Man.  And  what  besides  this  is  contained  in  these 
words,  we  shall  (by  the  help  of  God,)  see  hereafter.  Fo* 
there  is  not  a  doubt,  that  the  prophets  who  followed 
David,  nay,  that  David  himself  in  the  Psalms  and  in 
other  places  where  he  speaks  of  the  Son  of  God, 
derived  alV  the  streams  of  their  doctrine  concerning  ihb 
divine  ai^  human  natures  of  Christ  from  this  divine 
PROMISE  delivered  to  him  by  the  prophet,  as  frdm  a 
certain  fountain. 

So  Psalm  ex.  1,  (to  bring  forth  that  now  for  the 
sake  of  example,)  when  he  saith,  ^^  The  Lord  said 
unto  my  Lord,  Sit  thou  at  my  right  hand  until  I  make 
thine  enemies  thy  footstool." — What  else  can  be  under- 
stood by  these  words,  "  Sit  thou  at  my  right  handj** 
than  that  he,  (the  Son  of  David,)  is  eqiid  with  God,  or 
is  placed  on  a  footing  of  an  equality  of  majesty  ?  that 
is,  that  he  rules  in  the  kingdom  of  God  himself?  For  it 
is  not  said,  *  over  my  head,*  or  *  above  me,'  nor  *  at 
my  feet,*  or  *  below  me,'  but,  "  at  my  right  hand :  *' 
that  is,  on  an  equal  footing  and  with  equal  power.  So 
that  the  whole  heaven  is  as  much  the  throne  of  this 
King,  and  the  whole  earth  as  much  his  footstool,  as 
they  are  so  of  God  the  Father  himself !  And  this  is  as 
he  himself  clearly  declares.  Matt,  xxviiii.  1 8,  "  All 
power  is  given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth."  And, 
Mark  xvi.  IQj  it  is  said  that  ^^  he  was  received  up  into 
heaven,  and  sat  on  the  right  hand  of  God/'  And  so  also, 
Matt  xxii.  43,  when  he  asks  the  Pharisees,  saying, 
^*  If  die  Messiah  be  the  Son  of  David,  How  doth  David 
himself  in  spirit  call  hhn  Lord  ?  saying,  The  Lord 
said  unto  my  Lord,  Sit  thou  on  my  right  hand  ? ''  This, 
it  is  said,  he  said  '*in  Spirit ;"  ^at  he  oright  signify, 


996 

fUidt  it  was  the  Holy  Ghost  that  spoke  by  David.  ;-  Aiid 
the  Evangelist  adds,  that  the  Pharisees  uncferstood  not 
these  things,  and  that  they  could  answer  nothing  to 
Christ  thus  questioning  them  upon  the  meaning  of  the 
scripture. 

So,  neither  can-  the  Jews  and  the  Rabbins  of  our 
day,  their  followers,  answer  any  thing  upon  this  point; 
nor  will  they  ever  be  able  to  give  any  answer  ari^ 
They  can  only,  as  blasphemers,  fiercely  and  fiiriousl; 
Tail  in  order  to  distress  us  Christians.  And  that  they  do, 
not  with  any  penetration  of  mind  or  learning,  but  only 
£rom  an  unbridled  and  empty  insolence  and  abuse,  just 
to  vent  the  foam  and  poison  of  theu*  enmity;  and-. that, 
.with  so  impudent  and  brazen  a  face,  as  even  to  contia- 
dict  the  sentiments  of  their  old  Rabbins  and  interpre- 
ters;  as  Nicolas  Lyranus  often  shows.  *  , 

We,  however,  have  the  firm,  clear,  and  sure  autfuv 
rity  of  the  scripture  of  the  New  Testament ;  which  beau- 
tifully accords  with  the  scripture  of  the  Psalm,  and  the 
Psalm  reciprocally  harmonizes  with  it.  And  thia  most 
certainly  is  abundantly  enough  (as  we  have  already 
tepeatedly  observed)  to  enable-  us  rightly  and  safely  to 
•accommodate  and  interpret  the  prophetic  writings  to 
our,  tlmt  is,  the  Christian,  sentiments  aiid  understand- 
ing. And  there  is  no  danger  of  the  scripture  misleatfing 
us  while  it  every  where  harmonizes  with  itself.  All 
others,  however,  must  of  necessity^  be  deceived*  But  \i 
Christ  and  his  apostles  are  witnesses  sufficiently  weighty 
for  us ;  who  set  forth  and  confirm  these  our  sentiments 
with  open  mouths,  and  with  words  and  works  sufficiently 
powerfill. 

And  aoain,  this  same  Psalm  is  one  of  those 
places  in  which  the  Three  distinct  Persons  in  the  God- 
head  are  strikingly  set  forth:  the  understanding  of 
which  belongs  to  the  prophets  and  Christians  only,  and 
is  revealed  and  delivered  to  them  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 
But  thid  Jews,  the  Mahometans,  and  human  reason  and 
wisdom,  are  not  permitted  to  enter  within  the  veil  of 
these  .mysteries. 

Firsts  we  hear  in  this  Psi^bofi  God  the  Father;  ^h^ 


m 

^  cal)^  ^^  the  Lord,"  fmd  who  is  h^re  represented  p» 

speaking  thus,    ^^  Sit  thou  at  my  right  hand.", .  And 

secondly,  th^e  is  added  another  Person,  the  Messiah, 

or  Christ,  who  is  the  Son  of  David,  to  whom  Gcxi 

speaks  these  words.    For  the  Father  that  here  speaks 

most  certainly  is  not  the  very  Person  of  the  Messiah,  or 

the  very  Son  of  David  concerning  whom  he  speaks. 

Nor  is  this  Messiedi  the  very  Person  of  the  Father  who 

is  speaking.   And  yet,  this  P.erson  is  commanded  to  sit  - 

fm.tbe  right  hand  of  the  Father;  that  is,  to  have  |lie 

some  donuytiioix,  the  same  powef,  and  the  s^me  honour 

•wd  glory.— As,  therefore,  God  sujffers  no  other  out  of 

hunself  to  be  joined  to  himself  in  the  same  power  and 

majesty ;  it  must  of  necessity  follow,  that  &is  Christ 

the  Son  of  David  is  truly  and  naturally  God,  co«etemal 

ivith  the  Father,  and  so,  of  the  same  ^ivine  essence ; 

because,  there  is  but  One  God  ;  as  it  is  declare^  in  th^ 

First  Commandment  of  the  Decalogue,  ^\  Thou  shak 

have  none  other  gods  but  me/' 

And  again,  thirdly,  here  is  the  Holy  Spirit  (and  he 
also  is  truly  that  One  only  God)  who  speaks  to  us  jby 
David  and  by  the  prophets,  and  who  alone  reveals  to  us 
and  teaehes  us  all  truth  concerning  God:  as  David 
{(aid  above,  **  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  spake  by  me,"  &c» 
And  Christ  also,  Matt.  xxii.  43,  saith,  ^^  How  th^ 
doth  David  in  spirit  call  him  Lord  ?  "  That  is,  without 
the  Spirit,  he  would  undoubtedly  neither  have  called 
Christ,  nor  even  have  known  him  to  be,  both  his  Soq 
and  the  ^^  Lord."  And  it  is  sufEci^iUy  manifest,  that 
jthe  Holy  Ghost  is  not  the  same  Person  as  God  the 
Filther  and  Christ,  and  yet,  he  cannot  be  another  God; 
Tlie  evident  conclusion  therefore  is,  thai  God  the  Father^ 
the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  are  distinct  Persons^  yet^ 
One  God  from  everlasting  to  everlasting ! 

TJUT  here,  some  one  will  perhaps  ask,  why  David 

spoke  thus — "Who   am  I  or  what  is  iny 

house  ?"  And  also  thus,  "  Thou  hast  looked  upon  me  as 

in  the  fo?m  pf  man,  who,  on  high,  is  the  Lord  God  ?'^ 

Fot  God,  say  they^  did  not  say  to  David  himself>  ^  Tlioii 


8S8 

«balt  be  my  Son,*  or,  '  I  will  estaUieh  thee  in  my 
eCeroal  kinsckmu'  But  he  plainly  saith  ^^  He  (thy  son 
or  diy  seed  after  ihee)  shall  be  to  me  a  son,"  and,  ^I 
will  establish  him  in  my  kinfldcmi.'  Why  then  (say 
they)  does  David  alter  and  transfer  the  words  oi 
God,,  and  apply  them  to  himself,  and  so  interpret  them, 
-as  if  he  were  die  person  whom  he  says  is  ^^  the  man" 
'who  also,  ^^  on  hi^  is  the  Lord  God?" 

First  of  all,  it  is  certain  diat  David  is  the  Father  ci 
tfiis  seed  or  son ;  as  it  is  here  clearly  expressed  that  he 
should  be  bom  of  his  house  or  posterity.  And  there  is 
this  also  impressed  on  nature  frmn  above — that  the 
fiitfaer  should  not  less  rejoice  and  delight  himself  in  the 
elory  of  his  son,  than,  (to  say  nothing  more,)  the  Sod 
Himself.  That  is,  such  is  the  power  of  pat^nal  love 
^nd  affection  toward  the  Son,  that  he  favours  above  all 
things  the  honour  and  interest  of  his  Son,  and  seeks 
'^em  even  more  than  his  own.  On  the  other  hand,  if 
any  indignity  or  insult  be  put  upon  the  son,  the  father 
is  hurt  and  fired  at  it  no  less^^  than  if  it  were  offered  to 
himself.  Rightly,  therefore,  does  David  also  (not  on 
his  own  account  only,  but  on  account  of  his  whole  house 
and  posterity,  when  he  says,  "  What  is  my4iouse?") 
exult  in  this  benefit  of  God,  and  as  it  were  triumph  in 
this  glory, — that  that  son  should  be  bom  of  his  seed, 
who  should  even  sit  cm  the  right  hand  of  God ! 

There  are  in  history  many  well  known  examples  of 
the  greatness  and  force  of  this  affection  of  parents  towards 
their  children :  as  in  the  instance  of  Chilo,  who  died 
bf  sudden  joy  when  news  was  brou^t  to  him  that 
his  son  had  conquered  at  the  Olympic  games.  And  also 
in  the  case  of  diat  Roman  woman,  who  had  felt  fully 
persuaded,  from  the  reports  she  had  heard,  that  her  son 
had  fallen  with  the  rest  of  the  army  at  the  battle  of 
Cannae  :  of  whom  it  is  related,  that,  when  her  son  un- 
expectedly retumed  and-*  stood  before  her  on  a  sudden 
alive  and  in  safety,  she  was  so  overcome  with  excess  of 
joy  at  the  sight  of  him,  that  she  fell  down  and  expired 
nbonediately.  What  wonder  then  that  David,  under 
a  circumstance  by  hi  more  great>  should,  so  overflow 


inith  joy  of  spirit;  a^d  be  so  astounded  as  it  weie,  that 
le  should  not  know  how  to  contain  himsdif,  nor  what  to 
ay,  nor  how  to  express  himself!  and  that  he  should  say/ 
hat  he  was  not  less  ove^oyed  at  the  honour  of  his  son 
^ho  should  be  bom  of  his  flesh  and  blood,  than  if  he  him* 
lelf  had  been  placed  in  the  same  height  of  honour ! 

Moreover,  there  is  this  reason  aliso  why  David  spake 
)f  himself. — Because,  at  this  very  time,  this  promise  ^ 
son  was  in  the  loins  of  his  father,  (as  the  scripture  often 
expresses  it;)  and  nothing  of  this  son  as  yet  existed, 
^with  respect  to  his  human  nature,)  besides  David  him- 
self, as  the  only  person  of  his  flesh  and  blood,  from 
which  this  son  was  at  some  time  to  be  bom.     For  the 
things  related  in  this  histoiy  were  said  and  done  before 
ever  Nathan^  the  son  of  David  was  bom ;  from  whose 
posterity  Christ  was  bom,  (as  it  is  recorded,  Luke  3.) 
And  his  mother  Bathsheim  was  not  then  the  wife  of 
David,  but  of  Uriah ;  because  it  was  somewhat  befcxte 
die  adultery  was  committed. 

There  is  nothing,  therefore,  absurd  or  out  of  the  way 
in  these  expressions  of  David ; — that  a  fether,  giving 
thanks  unto  God  and  praising 'him  for  the  glory  of  his 
son,  should  speak  thus,  ^  What  am  I,  O  thou  sracioii^ 
God !  What  then  is  there  in  me  that  thoushouldst  have 
respect  unto,  that  thou  shouldst  exalt  me  to  so  ^mt 
honour,  and  shouldst  will,  that  this  "  Lord"  should  be 
bom  of  my  blood !  For  certainly  I  stand  in  that  situa- 
tion, that  I  feel  the  honour  and  the  joy  arising  from  it! 
For  this  is  my  flesh  and  my  blood  ;  and,  in  very  deed, 
he,  of-  whoin  it  i^  foretold  that  he  shall  be  bom,  is  even 
now  still  in* me  1'  ?., 

And  IT  is  for  this  same  reason  also,  that  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  is  often  spoken  of  in  the  prophets,  under 
the  very  name  of  his  father  David  :  as  in  Hosea  iii.  5., 
**  Afterward  shall  the  children  of  Israel  retum  and  seek 
the  Lord  their  God,  and  David  their  King,  and  shall 
fear  the  Lord  and  his  goodness  in  the  latter  days." — 
In  this  place  Christ  himself  is  signified  under  the  name 
^'  David,"  and  is  said  to  be  worshipped  with  the  samel 
honoat  as  God.     And  therefore,  the  name  also  of  ih^ 


2S« 

]>«rd  hboflelf,  which  belongB  to  God  only,  is  giyeh:^ 
hip;  Ajid  the  prophet  aays,  that  he  is  to  ba  sooghtr^d 
wc^mhipped.  Nor  does  he  ^ay  that  God  ifi  to  b^  sought 
Q^  worshipped  io  ohe.  way,  and  this  'King  in  anetmrl 
Ev0ri  so  i?ee  worship  God  tilie  eternal  Fatber,  wd  the 
Son,  with  the  same  6dth :  iumI.  not  the  Father  with  oH^ 
ffdth,  and  the  Son wi& ajiotb6n*-r-</\Ad  h^ne isinQre^Ter 
seen  the  Thihi' Person,  the! tHdy  JShost:  whois.iiififnK 
festjn  his  speaking  these  thmgi  by  the  mouth  .of  the' 
prQI^et,  and  teaching  us  thusf  fa>  believe  th^m. 

80  ALio,  £asekiel  xxxiii.  23,249  it- is  ^aid^  "And 
I  will  ^t  up  one  shepherd  overtbemi.  s^d  he  i^hall  fe^d 
them,  even  my  servant  David  :  he  i9haiL7feed  them,  fUd^ 
be  6hall  be  thek  shepherd.  Md^t.^  Loi^  wiU^be  t^ 
God,  and  my  servant  Datid  a  prince  anlong  <heSh.?-?r 
flere  also  the  name  of  David  is  gtveD  toiGbtiM,  ffmt  h^ 
is  ev€»  called ^tbe  ^'  servant  of  Gctt.-V  So  lioi;  Jsaiih' 
Hiiu ill,  also,. and  in  many  other  pldehs^^heiscflillidv^ 
** servant"  of  God.  So  again  Paul,  mterpretrng-th^ 
s^p^he^Philip*  ii,  7^''makes  him  a  sarVtet:  hutotfi^r- 
Wisfe,  he  fill^ays  and  in^^veiy  instance  >;l^ttj|y:Spea|$  oi 
hiiti  as  Lord  mi  God : .  as  ne  does  alK) '  i&  that  jSanrt^ 
plaice  immediately  before,  ^^re  he' says,  ^*  Who  b^ing 
Hi' the  hrm  of  God,  thought  it  not  rdfa^ry  to'  be  ^\m 
with  Gt>d«  But  made  himself  of  no  deputation,  an^ 
took  upi^  him  the  form  df  a  servmt/* — Here  then, 
Paul  shall  answer  for  himsdif,  why  he  says  things  so  in- 
coherent For  if  Christ  be  equal  with  God,  how  can  hfe 
be  also  a  servant  and  in  liie,form  of  a  i^rvant  ?  And  if 
he  be  a  servant,  how  can  he  be  equal  with  God  and  in 
the  form  of  God  ?  It  is,  however,  by  no  means  unknown 
to  us  Christians  how  these  things  consist  together  and 
harmonize.  But  the  Jews  confirm  themdelves  in  theit 
p.b3tinacy  by  this,  pasi^age  of  Ezekiel,  and  glory,  as  lif 
th<^  were  fully  persuaded  in;  their  ibinds,  (or  rather  in 
thefr.  madness,)  that  th*y  ai-e .  ri^ht — ^fittt  let  us  :now 
aw^y  with'tbeiA !  1 

,!  In  THE  same. manner  Jeremidh  also  speakia,  xxfe  ^ 
9,  ^^  For  itrshall  come  to  {lass  iii  that  day;  sstith  the 
Lord  of  hostSy  that  I  will  beeak  his  yoke  ft^m  ^  thy 


I 


lecky/^tndwUl  burst  thy  bonds,  aM 'sbmigersysfaaU.lia 
Bore-fierve  themselves  o(  hini .:  but  they,  shall  serve  the 
Ejbrd  tiieir  jGod^ and  David  their  kiiigwhom  I  wfltiaige^ 
ip  unto  them."*— Here  again  Christ  is  called  David. 
\nd  even  the  Jews  themselves,  both  antient  and  mod^», 
ixe  compeUed  to  interpret  Ais  as  referring,  to  the  Mes- 
dah:  excepting.  that,vthey  ferr  concerning  &e  ^^y^oke'^ 
iml  the  '^  bonds,"  which  they  twist  round  to  make 
diem  ^apply  to  the  Babylonish  captivity :  whereas  th^ 
prophet,  through,  three  successive  chapters,  is  speaking 
of  that  deliverance  that  shall  take  place  undar^e  pro-<- 
mised  Messiah:  that  is,  a  deliverance  from  sin  and 
deaifa,  which  are  indeed  a  grieVous  yoke  aAd  heavy 
bcmds,  imposed  upioh  us  throng  the  ministraition  of  the 
Iftw,  but  cdnceniingwkich  Jewish  blindness  and  huinait 
ntean  can  tmderistmid  notiiing  whatever.  Tins  is  a 
sebret  known  otly  .to  Quiltians,  and  which  has  been 
kftown  tOi  those  who:have  been  of  the  same  faith  from 
the  Ij^mniBg  of  the  chutch. 

; .  &it  Jeremiah  in  this  place  makes  this  same  ^'>King 
David"  to. be,  without  exception,  truly  and  naturally 
God:  that  is,  he  connects  and  unites  God  and  this 
Ikurid  inthat same  reception  of  worship  and  reverence 
wiiereih;tibe  people  of  Israel  are  to  serve  them.  And  if 
this  King  David  were  not  truly  andnaturally  God,  God 
woidd  not  make  hi^  equal  with  himsdf,  nor  command; 
that  "they  should  serve  God  and  David  their  King.  For 
this  is  an  immutable  precept,  ^  Thou  shalt  have  no 
stiange  gods :  but  thou  shalt  fear  the  Lord  thy  God, 
mod  wm  only  shalt  thou  serve,'  Deut.  vi.  and  x. 

And  a^^am,  this  passage  of  Jeremiah  exactly  accords 
.with  tlie  words  of  the  prophet  to  David,  2  Sam.  viii 
l-4fl7,  "J Tirfll establish  him  (thy  Son)  in  my  kingdom 
for  even"'  ^'^Him,"  I  say,  who  is  "  Man,"  (for  others 
tme  he'cotddnot  be  the  seed  or  the  Son  of  David)  and 
who  also,  ^  oh  high,  is  the  Lord  God,"  who  is  wor- 
shipped, together  with  the  Father,  in  equal  and  eternal 
tionofur,  and  to  whoin  is  yielded  an  equal  obedience.-:^ 
And /here  also  must  of  necessity  be  present,  together 
uttb/^se^Jthe  Person  of  the  Holy  Ghost,,  who  revepds 


unto  U8  these  mysteries  by  Jeiemial^  and  iikmimle^  our 
mkids  with  a  new  li^t  that  we  may  understand  these 
things  and  believe  them. — And  yet,  these  are  bat  One 
God^  out  of  whom  we  worship  no  one,  we  serve  no 
one! 

What  I  have  so  far  advanced  is  quite  sufficient 
concerning  that  prophetical  text,  S  Sam.  vii.  1— 17  :  in 
whidb,  as '  on  a  foundation  we  have  seen  that  these 
f^  Last  words  of  David"  rest:  and  which,  as  we 
now  see,  plainly  show,  that  Christ  is  truly  God,  and 
Man  bom  of  David. 

A  ND  now,  time  calls  us  to  enter  upon  these 
^^  words  of  David,"  of  which  we  have  purposed 
to  give  an  exposition :  in  which  he  himself  acknowledges 
and  confesses  Christ  to  be  his  Son,  and  declares  him  8^ 
to  be,  and  glories  in  him  as,  his  God,  in  those  memoraUe 
words,  ^^'Thou  hast  looked  upon  me  as  man,  who  is,  on 
highy  (or  in  the  heavens,  or  above)  the  LcMfd  God."-*-^ 
For  that  which  in  the  common  version^  by  a  change  of 
case,  is  put  in  the  vocative,  "  O  Lora  God,"  leaves  the 
passage  abrupt,  mutilated,  and  without  sensie :  making  it, 
2  Sam.  vii.  19,  to  be  thus,  "  Is  this  the  law  (or  manner) 
of  man,  O  Lord  God  ? "  but  what  sense  is  that  ?  The 
reading  would  be  much  more  plain  and  correct  thus; 
"  This  is  the  form  (or  law  or  manner)  of  man,  the  Lord 
God :"  or,  ^  who  is  the  Lord  God :"  as  I  have  observed 
above. 

* 

But  as  we  have  here  entered  upon  a  subject,  that  is 
so  delightful  to  the  godly,  and  so  copious;  and. as  we 
are  of  that  little  flock,  (O  what  cause  of  grief  that  there 
should  not  be  more ! )  together  with  the  prophets  and 
apostles,  who  seriously  desir^  to  acknowledge  and.cdnfeas 
Christ  crucified,  our  promised  David  and  our  etemd 
God ;  let  us  here  stay  awhile  and  meditate.  And, 
before  we  bring  these  "Wokds  of  David"  to  tiie 
concluding  goal,  let  iis  expatiate  a  little,  on  the  plain,  and 
take  a  few  more  tastes  out  of  the  immense  field  o^ 
scripture;  that  we  maiy  thereby  feed  and  .confirm  oar 
faith  in  this  our  Deliverer  the  Son  of  I>aii4<^;  aitd:tfi8t 


233 

we  may  gall  Satan  and  his  satellites  and  maddened 
cabal, — the  Jews,  Mahometans,  and  Papists, — those 
enemies  of  the  Son  of  God ! 

And  to  whom  can  we  better  go,  first  of  ail,  than  to 
Moses,  the  very  fountain,  yea,  the  parent  and  master  of 
all  the  prophets  ? — Let  us  see  whether  he  will  not  join 
himself  to  our  company  as  a  Christian,  that  is,  a  witness 
and  a  teacher  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ :  and  whether  he 
will  not  give  us  a  taste  of  the  heavenly  wisdom  out  of 
his  stores.  And  we  will  the  more  readily  go  to  him, 
because  Christ  himself  especially  commends  him  to  us 
in  this  highly  distinguishing  way,  and  as  it  were,  repre- 
sents him  as  his  pieculiar  servant,  where  he  says,  "  Had 
ye  believed  Moses,  ye  would  have  believed  me :  for  he 
wrote  of  me,"  John  v.  46.  As,  therefore,  Moses  is  said 
to  have  written  of  Christ,  he  undoubtedly  prophesied 
and  taught  of  him  under  the  influence  of  the  spirit  of 
prophecy,  and,  with  his  voice,  took  the  lead  of  all  other 
prophets  and  teachers  of  the  people  of  God  that  should 
succeed  him  unto  all  posterity :  which  they  themselves 
testify  of  him  by  their  voices  and  in  their  writings.  And 
indeed  that  they  did  so,  and  that  studiously,  is  testified 
irom  proofs  of  fact :  for  the  doctrines  and  predictive 
declarations  of  the  prophets  are  so  well  known  and 
spread  abroad  every  where,  that  all  the  Jews  that  ever 
existed  9  and  that  exist  unto  this  day,  the  great,  the 
young,  and  the  old,  hold  it  as  the  most  common  thing 
among  them,  that  the  Messiah  was  to  come.  But  they 
have  this  sad  misfortune, — that  Moses  is  to  them  no 
longer  alive,  but  has  long  ago  been  buried,  and  they 
cannot  know  where  he  is  buried  !  And  indeed  he  cannot 
be  found  but  by  God's  shewing  us  where  he  is! — • 
Wherefore,  we  will  send  away  after  him  two  trusty  and 
faithful  messengers,  who  may  search  him  out,  and  call 
him  forth,  and  bring  him  before  us.  And  who  shall 
those  messengers  be  ?  John  the  Evangelist  and  the 
Apostle  Paul !  For  we  are  fully  assured  they  will  not 
err,  but  will  effect  that  which  we  wish. 

But  I  would  have  thee  bear  that  in  mind,  which  I 
before  laid  down  as  my  principle  to  go  upon — that  I 

VOL.  II.  R 


234 

establish  it  as  a  certain  rule  to  abide  by,  that,  whereyer 
the  Hebrew  text  naturally  offers  itself  in  harmony  with 
the  scripture  of  the  New  Testament,  we  are  to  receive 
that  as  the  sure  and  genuine  sense  of  the  prophetical 
scripture.  Nor  are  we  to  regard  what  the  Rabbins  or 
other  judaizing  Hebraists  that  follow  them,  may  prate 
about  their  grammatical  jpeculiarities,  vamped  up  out  of 
stops  and  points,  and  miserably  wracked  as  on  a  cross; 
but  we  are  to  look  upon  such  things  as  their  own 
figments  and  fables. 

JOHN,  then,  at  the  very  beginning  of  his 
evangelical  history,  is  ready  at  our  hands, 
where  he  says,  "  In  the  beginning  was  the  Word,  and 
the  Word  was  with  God,  and  the  Word  was. God. 
The  same  was  in  the  beginning  with  God.  All  things 
were  made  by  him,  and  without  him  was  not  any 
thing  made  that  was  made,"  John  i.  1,2,3.  —  These 
are  the  words  of  the  Evangelist,  or  rather,  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  himself,  who  giveth  and  restoreth  life  unto  all. 

Let  us  see,  then,  whether  this  messenger  cannot 
bring  back  Moses  unto  us  and  set  him  alive  before  us. 
For  Moses  does  not  hear  unwillingly;  but,  being  awaked 
by  the  Spirit  s  voice,  saith,  *  Behold  here  I  am,  and  I 
add  my  voice  in  your  favour !  For  this  very  particular 
which  you  here  relate  concerning  the  Logos,  the  Son  of 
God,  I  committed  to  writing  long  ago  :  and  therefore  I 
wrote,  in  a  way  of  leading  and  directing,  those  words 
which  you  and  all  others  might  take  up  after  me. 
]f or,  at  the  very  commencement  of  my  Books,  beginning 
where  the  nature  of  all  things  began,  I  thus  wrote,rTr 
*^  God  said.  Let  there  be  light,  and  there  was  light." 
^^  God  said.  Let  there  be  a  firmament  in  the  ipidst  of  the 
iraters."  And  again,  *^  God  said,  Let  the  waters  under 
the  heaven  be  gathered  together  into  one  place,  and  let 
the  dry  land  appean"  ^^  God  said.  Let  theisakb  bring 
forth  grass, "&c.  '^  God  said,  Let  there  be  li^tesrin  the 
firmament  of  the  lieavea,  to  divide  tJsie  day  from  die 
Aight/'     And  so  o»  as  It  theie  follows.' 


■  4 


235 

Thus,  you  hear  Mo^s  qx^ctly  i^l^iag  with  John,— • 
that,  in  the  very  beginnuig  of  the  creation,  "was  the 
(Logos  or)  Word,"  by  whom  God  made  or  created  all 
things,  by  speaking.  And  Moses  here  neither  stammers 
nor  speaks  imperfectly  like  a  babe,  nor  are  his  words 
either  obscure  or  ambiguous;  but  his  expressions  are 
clear,  and  his  grammatical  construction  of  a  certain  and 
simply  kind ;  so  that,  where  there  is  the  Person  speakr 
ing,  there,  of  necessity,  must  be  also  understood  the 
Logos  or  Word.  ^ 

And  as  to  those  things  in  the  way  of  objection  which 
the  Jews,  the  Mahometans,  the  heretics  have  scraped 
together  from  all  sides,  from  designed  cavillings  and 
from  dreams  of  their  own  fabricating, — all  such  things 
we  at  once  hold  ih  contempt,  resting  on  this  certain 
Word  of  God,  and  upon  the  simply  grammatical  mean- 
ing of  Moses;  who,  we  know,  recorded  plainly  and 
without  ambiguity,  that  which  God  said  in  the  very  be- 
ginning before  any  creature  had  existence.  And  there- 
fore, the  Logos  or  Word  was  "  with  him"  when  he 
spoke,  (for  without  a  Logos  nothing  can  be  spoken,) 
"by"  whom  God  made  all  things;  as  John  i.  clearly 
sets  its  forth.  And  all  the  old  orthodox  ecclesiastical 
writers,  Hilary,  Augustine,  Cyril,  &c.  have  so  copiously 
and  diligently  expounded  this  meaning  of  John,  that,  as 
their  books  are  still  extant,  there  is  no  necessity  for  our 
entering  now  into  any  full  length  discussions  of  the 
passage.  .  It  is  enough  for  our  present  purpose  to  see 
and  hear  Moses  himself,  as  it  were,  (without  using  any 
far-fetched  or  violently  forced  interpretation,)  standing 
before  us,  and,  of  his  own  accord,  so  plainly  and  simply 
harmonizing  with  the  words  and  meaning  c^  Jqhn,  that 
even  reason  herself,  (though  ignorant  of  these  "  secret 
tbingS),")  has  nothing  to  gainsay,  but  is  compelled  tX> 
confess  with  us,  that  such  is,  according  to  the  certain 
rules  of  grammar,  the  simple  and  native  meaning  of  the 
words ;  and  that  both  Moses  and  John  say  the  same 
thing,  and  speak  in  the  same  way  concerning  the  Logos 
or  W  ord ;  by  whom  iD  the  beginning  all  things  were 
madffimdl  9j^.t§d.— rFor  the  design  6f  each  is  to  shew 

R  Z 


836 

by  what,  or  with  what  instrument  eto  it  were,  or  whimce, 
or  out  of  what  materials,  God  wrought  that  mighty 
work,  that  universal  fabric  of  the  world. 

But,  this  work  or  fabric  was  such,  that  there  was  ho 
instrument,  nor  could  be  any,  nor  any  materials  for  the 
work  that  was  about  to  be  wrought.  The  whole  creation 
of  things  came  forth  and  was  made  out  of  nothing :  nor 
can  it  be  called  any  thing  but  nothing.  And,  all  things 
were  made  by  the  Word  only:  or,  as  John  says,  "  by  him 
(the  Word)  all  things  were  made."  Now  the  Word 
itself,  is  not  that  which  was  made  or  created  :  (for  there 
•was  as  yjBt  no  creature :)  but  this  Word  was  "  with  God" 
from  all  eternity,  before  the  world  first  had  its  beginning : 
as  Moses  here  saith,  "God  said,  (that  is,  before  any  thing 
was  as  yet  made,)  Let  there  be  light,"  "  Let  there  be 
fl.  firmament,"  "Let,  there  be  lights,"  &c. :  that  is, 
Moses  saith,  that  all  things  were  brought  into  being,  or 
were  made,  by  the  Word.  And  it  is  quite  certain  that 
nothing  could  fie  "  with  God,"  apart  from,  and  before, 
all  things  that  were  created,  but  that  which  is  in  itself 
and  in  its  nature,  God  ! 

Wherefore  it  must  follow,  that  the  Logos,  which  is 
written  of  as  having  been  "  with  God,"  is  of  necessity 
/God,  or  a  Person  having  a  nature  divine,  infinite, 
eternal,  and  omnipotent :  seeing  that,  it  was  "  by 
him"  that  "  all  things  were  made."  Nor  can  he  be  the 
same  Person  with  the  Person  who  speaks,  or  whose 
Logos  he  is :  but  the  Person  who  speaks  must  of  ne- 
cessity be  another,  and  truly  distinct  from,  the  Person 
who  is  the  Logos.  And  yet  again,  there  cannot  be  two 
Gods,  nor  can  the  Godhead  be  divided  as  it  were  into 
many :  for  it  is  the  principal  article  of  our  faith  and  of 
the  scripture,  that  there  is  but  One,  essential,  divine 
Essence,  and  One  Creator,  of  the  heavens  and  the  earth, 
and  not  many.  Wherefore  Moses  testifies  together  with 
John,  and  with  the  same  voice  and  mouth,  that  the  God 
who  speak9>  and  the  Logos  or  the  Word,  are  indeed 
Persons  distinct  from  each  other,  but  are  together  the 
One  same  God,  the  Creator  of  all  things. 

So  ALSO  our  David  confesses  that  he  had  read  and 


837 

understood  Moses,  when  he  says,  Psalm. xxxiii.  6,  "  By 
the  Word  of  the  Lord  were  the  heavens  made^  and  all 
the  host  of  them  by  the  breath  of  his  mouth/' — He 
says  that  *'  the  heavens  were  made  and  all  the  host  of 
them  ; "  that  is,  whatsoever  is  contained  by  them  and  in 
them.  Whence  I  pray?  Whence,  but  out  of  nothing? 
By  what,  or  by  what  kind  of  instrument?  Not  cer»* 
tainly  by  any  things  that  were  created,  (for  there  wais 
nothing  as  yet  created  !) — By  his  '^  Word,"  saith  David, 
and  "  by  the  breath  of  his  mouth." 

And  does  not  David  in  this  place  agree  with  Moses 
and  speak  thus,  and  almost  in  the  same  words, — '  God 
said.  Let  the  heavens  be  made,  and  the  heavens  were 
made?'  And  since  the  heavens,  and  all  that  they  con* 
tain,  came  forth  and  ^ere  made  by  the  Word  of  God;  it 
necessarily  follows,  that  the  earth  and  all  that  is  in  it 
came  forth  and  was  made  by  the  same  Word.  And  it  is 
evident,  that  the  Word  of  God  speaking,  or  the  Locos, 
is  not  the  heaven  or  the  earth,  or  any  one  of  those 
things  that  are  contained  in  the  heaven  or  the  earth,  or 
that  came  forth  into  being  by  that  Word.  Wherefore,  it 
is  left  as  a  necessary  consequence,  that  the  Word  is  the 
Creator  God  himself:  yet  so,  that  it  is  a  distinct  Person, 
and  a  Person  different  from  the  Person  who  speaks, 
and  who  does  all  things  by  this  Word  in  the  one  same, 
indivisible,  inseparable  nature  and  essence  of  divine  and 
eternal  power,  might,  and  efficiency ! 

And  when  the  Person  of  the  Son  of  God,  or  of  the 
Logos,  is  made  manifest  from  these  words  of  the  Psalm; 
then,  the  Third  Person,  the  Holy  Ghost,  will  easily  and 
at  once  discover  itself;  for  it  is  signified  in  these  very 
words,  when  the  Psalmist  says,  "  And  all  the  host  of 
them  by  the  breath  of  his  mouth."  For  what  he  had 
just  before  said  "  by  the  Word  of  the  Lord,"  he  now 
repeats,  "  by  the  breath  of  his  mouth."  And  without 
doubt,  he  thus  adds  the  word  "  breath,"  (Spirit uSy)  that 
he  might  embrace  both  thcf  Logos  and  the  Holy  Ghost. 
For  it  is  evident,  that  this  Person  is  every  where  denomi- 
nated "the  Spirit:"  as  in  the  beginning  of  Genesis, 
"The   Spirit  of  God   moved  upon   the  face  of  the 


238 

waters/'  And  again,"  My  Spirit  shall  not  always  judge 
in  man."  And  it  is  signified  that  he  is  equally  of,  or 
proceeds  equally  from,  the  Father  and  the  Son :  be- 
cause, he  is  called  the  Spirit  of  the  Father,  and  bf  the 
Son  also.  And  so  also  it  is  said  here,  the  "  breath 
{Spiritus)  of  his  mouth;"  (that  is,  of  his  Word,) 
meaning,  undoubtedly,  of  the  mouth  of  the  Father;  from 
whom  also  is  the  Logos  or  Word. 

And  let  this  also  be  particularly  remarked, — that  the 
words  '*  were  made"  are  only  put  once.  The  Persons 
are  plainly  and  distinctly  named,  "  the  Lord,"  "  the 
Word,"  and  "the  breath  (Spiritus)  of  his  mouth:"' 
but  there  is  only  One  Maker,  or  Creator  intimated :  or, 
the  work  and  creation  of  One  only,  without  distinction  ! 
That  is,  all  things  were  made.  By  whom  ?  By  One 
Maker  or  Creator :  who  is  the  Lord,  the  Locos  or 
Word,  and  the  Spirit.  Nor  does  the  Lord,  (that  is,  the 
First  Person,  the  Eternal  Father,)  do  any  work  of  his 
(yw7i  peculiarly  or  separately  by  himself:  nor  does  the 
Logos  do  any  work  of  his  own  separately  from  the 
Father :  nor  the  Holy  Spirit  any  w  ork  of  his  own  sepa- 
rately from  the  Father  and  the  Son> 

They  are  therefore  different  Persons,  but  they  are  the 
One  same  Maker  and  Creator  of  the  same  work,  that 
is,  of  whatsoever  is  made.  And,  all  things  that  are  made 
are  singly  and  collectively  the  common  work  of  the 
Three  Persons,  as  of  the  One  same  Creator,  and,  as  it 
were.  Architect.  For  as  the  Lord  is  said  to  make  the 
heaven,  so  also,  the  Logos  makes  the  same  heavens, 
and  the  Holy  Ghost  makes  the  same  heavens;  and 
neither,  any  thing  that  is  not  made  by  the  other.  It  is 
the  same  workman  that  makes,  and  it  is  the  same  work 
that  is  wrought  by  the  Three  Persons.  And  again,  as 
the  Lord  himself  made  all  the  hosts  of  heaven  by  his 
*^  breath"  (Spiritus);  so,  the  Spirit  himself  made  the 
same  (and  not  another)  host  of  heaven ;  and  so  also, 
the  Logos  (the  Word)  hirtiself  made  the  same  host 
of  heaven ! 

Wherefore,  we  are  here  diligently  to  ponder  that 
which  Athanasius  teaches  in  the  Creed  that  bears  his 


989 

name.—*  Neither  confonnditis  the  Persons,  nor  dividifag 
the  substance,'  or  separating  tne  Unity  of  the  substance 
in  the  Persons.  For  if  any  work  of  the  things  that  are 
created  be  ascribed  to  any  one  of  the  Persons  in  the 
Godhead  apart,  (as  we  term  it,)  and  be  not  received  as 
the  work  of  the  other  Persons  also;  here,  that  most 
simple  and  most  intimately  united  Unity  of  the  Godhead 
is  divided  and  torn  asunder ;  and,  instead  of  One  God, 
we  make  three  gods  or  creators,  which  is  false  and 
impioas !  Agaiii,  if  you  do  not  make  a  distinction 
between  each  of  the  Persons  within  the  Godhead,  (so  to 
speak,)  apart  from,  and  above,  all  creatures ;  and  do 
not  ascribe  to  each  his  own  peculiar  properties  which 
cannot  be  ascribed  to  the  rest;  then,  you  confound 
the  Persons,  which  is  equally  false  and  departing  from 
the  faith ! 

And  here,  the  rule  of  Augustine  may  with  pro- 
priety be  introduced,  who  says, — *The  works  of  the 
Trinity  without,  or,  which  are  wrought  out  of  the  God- 
head in  the  creatures,  are  indivisible :  that  is,  no  divi- 
sion or  distinction  of  the  Persons  is  to  be  made,  with 
respect  to  the  works  which  they  work  in  the  creatures  : 
nor  is  each  separate  work,  out  of  the  Godhead,  to  be 
ascribed  to  each  separate  Person.  But,  the  Personis 
within  the  Godhead  itself  are  to  be  distinguished :  yet 
so,  that  each  work,  out  of  the  Godhead,  is  to  be  ascribed 
to  all  the  Persons  in  the  Godhead  equally  and  without 
difference/' 

But,  to  make  this  still  more  plain  by  an  example.—* 
I  rightly  say, — that  God  the  eternal  Father  is  thy  G6d 
and  Creator,  and  mine,  who  made  me  and  thee,  and  all 
things.  So  also  I  say,  that  the  Logos  the  Word  of  God, 
who  is  co-eternal  with  the  Father,  is  the  Author  and 
Maker  of  the  same  work  which  I  and  thou  are.  And  so 
also,  I  say  again,  in  the  same  manner,  that  the  Holy 
Ghost  made  the  same  work,  me  and  thee,  and  that  he 
is,  equally  with  the  Father  and  the  Son,  my  God  and 
Maker,  and  thine,  and  the  Creator  of  all  things.  And 
yet,  that  there  are  not  three  gods  or  creators,  but  One 
God  and  Creator. 


240 

By  this  faith  and  confession,  (which  is  the  true  con- 
fession of  the  whole  church  of  God,  and  which  it  has 
ever  held  from  the  beginning,)  I  am  fortified  against  the 
mad  dreams  of  Arius  and  others  like  him,  and  am  kept 
from  dividing  the  all-simple  Unity  of  the  divine  Essence, 
and  from  separating  it  into  three  gods  or  creators ;  and 
1  acknowledge  by  a  true  and  sincere  faith,  and  worship 
and  confess,  One  God  the  Creator  of  all  things.     And 
again,  when  I   raise  my  meditations  apart  from,  and 
above,  the  things  that  are  made,  or  the  work  of  the 
creation;   there,  I  learn  from  the  scriptures,  (for  the 
judgment  and  penetration  of  human  reason  can  avail 
nothing  here,) — that  the  eternal  Father  is  a  Person  dis* 
tinct  from  the   Person  of  the  Son  in  that  one  same 
simple  indivisible  Godhead  ;  whose  property  is,  that,  as 
it  is  written,  he  is  the  Father ;  and  not  of  the  Son,  nor 
of  any  other,  but  self-existent. — That  the  Son  of  God, 
the  Logos,  is  a  Person,  distinct  from  the  Father,  but  of 
the  one  same  divinity  as  God  the  Father ;  whose  pro- 
perty is,  that  he  is  the  Son ;  that  is,  born  of  the  Father 
before  all  worlds,  and  having  a  divine  nature,  not  of 
himself  nor  underived,  but  yet,  derived  from  none  but 
from  the  eternal  Father. — So  also,  that  the  Person  of 
the    Holy  Ghost  is  distinct  from  the  Father  and  the 
Son,  proceeding  from  both,  and  having  a  divinity,  not 
from  himself,  but  equally  from  the  Father  and  the  Son, 
and  that  from  everlasting  to  everlasting ! 

Fortified  by  this  faith  and  confession,  I  steer  clear 
of  the  mB,d  error  of  Sabellius  and  others  like  him,  and 
also  of  the  Jews,  Mahometans,  and  all  others  of  the 
same  class,  who  imagine  themselves  to  be  wise  above 
God.  Nor  do  I,  like  them,  confound  the  Persons,  as 
though  there  were  but  one  Person  altogether.  But,  ac- 
cording to  the  sound  and  true  sense  of  the  catliolic 
faith,  I  confess  Three  Persons,  distinct  in  their  pro- 
perties, equal  and  co-eternal  in  the  Unity  of  the  eternal 
Essence :  which  Persons;  nevertheless,  w  ith  reference  to 
us  and  to  all  things  that  are  made,  are  the  One  only  and 
true  God,  the  Creator,  the  efficient^ Cause,  and  the  Pre- 
server of  all  thinors ! 

o 


V 


841 

These  things,  perhaps,  i^re  not  quite  so  familiar  and 
3lain  to  the  more  simple  and  the  generality  among  us; 
and  may  seem  more  proper  for  subjects  of  discussidn  in 
the  schools.     But  since  we  see  that  Satan  draws  up  that 
Leviathan-tail  of  his,  and  is  attempting  to  spit  forth  at 
once  this  terrible  venom,  that  he  might  in  these  "  last 
days"  stir  up  all  the  whole  sink  of  heresies  together: 
since  the  world  is  filled  with  light-minded  and  curious- 
spirited   characters,  whose  itching  ears  are  delighted 
with  novelty,  and  who  are  soon  tired  of  hearing  sound 
doctrine :   and  since,  on   that  account,  the   mouth   of 
Satan  stands  open  ready  to  vomit  forth  all  kinds  of 
maddened  deliriums  among  sound  doctrine  : — it  is  there- 
fore useful  and  necessary,  that  there  should  be  some, 
either  of  the  commonalty  or  of  the  learned,  and  espe- 
cially of  the  pastors  and  teachers  of  the  churches  and  of 
the  youth  in  the  schools,  who  should  expressly  devote 
themselves  to  speaking  on,  and  teaching  rightly,  properly, 
according  to  the  scriptures,  and  in  the  common  lan- 
guage, these  grand  articles;  the  true  knowledge  of  which 
ought   most   necessarily   to   be   possessed    by   all    the 
church. 

And  if  there  be  any  one  who  is  not  able  to  appre- 
hend these  abstruser  things,  as  they  may  appear;  let 
such  an  one,  together  with  the  children  and  others  who 
are  training  up  under  the  catechism  of  the  Christian 
doctrine,  hold  fast  by  a  simple  faith,  and  follow,  those 
things  which  he  has  learnt  in  our  Creed  of  the  articles 
of  faith ;  and  let  him  assist  others  by  his  godly  prayers ; 
praying  against  Satan,  against  all  the  furies  stirred  up  by 
him,  and  against  all  the  deliriums  of  the  Jews  and  Ma- 
hometans, that  he  fall  not  into  temptation. 

AND  now,  since  we  are  thus  entered  upon  this 
discussion,  let  us,  with  a  design  to  assist  those 
to  whom  our  labours  will  be  acceptable,  and  to  confirm 
and  testify  our  own  faith  by  this  our  confession,  collect  a 
few  more  authorities,  both  examples  and  figures,  which 
tend  to  declare  this  same  article. — which  teaches,  that, 
in  the    Godhead,   the    divine   Essence  is    neither   to 


94i 

brdM^ed  nor  sundered,  nor  the  Persoius  t6  be  con- 
ibnnded. 

In  that  glorious,  and  perhaps  the  greatest,  manifes* 
tation  that  was  made  from  above, — ^the  baptism  d 
Chrfet  at  the  river  Jordan,  it  is  written,  "  The  heavee  ^ 
was  opened,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  descended  in  a  bodily 
shape  like  a  dove  upon  him ;  and  a  voice  came  from 
heaven,  which  said,  Thou  art  my  beloved  Son,  in  thee  I 
am  well  pleased,"  Luke  iii.  21,  22. 

Here,  it  is  evident,  that  Uiis  dove,  or  this  "  bodily  i 
shape"  of  a  dove,  "(as  Luke  expresses  it,  that  thou: 
ioiayest  not  dream,  that  this  was  a  visionary  vanity,  or  a 
phantom,  or  a  trick,)  was  a  creature ;  made,  not  by  the 
Holy  Ghost  only,  (who  nevertheless  distinctly  discovers 
himself  therein,)  but  by  God  the  Father  -and  the  Son 
also ;  as  it  has  been  already  observed,  ^  The  works  of 
the  Trinity  that  are  wrought  out  of  the  Godhead  arc 
indivisible.'  For  whatsoever  is  made,  is,  of  necessity 
made  equally  by  the  Father,  by  the  Son,  and  by  the 
Holy  Ghost,  as  One  God.  And  yet,  this  dove  is  called 
the  Holy  Ghost  only :  or  (to  use  the  words  of  Luke)  it 
was  the  Holy  Ghost  only  that  descended  from  heaven 
"  in  a  bodily  shape  like  a  dove."  For  the  sincerity  of 
the  Christian  faith,  by  no  means  suffers  it  to  be  said, 
concerning  that  shape  of  the  dove  descending,  '  Be- 
hold, This  is  God  the  Father : '  or,  '  This  is  the  eternal 
Son  of  God.'  But  we  must  of  necessity  here  say,  *  Here 
you  see  the  Holy  Ghost  descending:'  though  it  is 
nevertheless  true,  that  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost,  are  the  One  same  eternal  God.  So  that  you  may 
rightly  say,  when  you  behold  the  dove  descending,  *  This 
is  the  One  eternal  God,  and  there  is  none  other  god 
besides  him.'  Yet  again,  you  cannot  righdy  say,  *  This 
is  tlie  eternal  Father,'  or,  *  This  is  the  eternal  Son  of^ 
God.'  You  can  only  say,  by  way  of  distinguishing  the 
Person,  '  This  is  God  the  Holy  Spirit ; '  or,  '  This  is 
the  Person  of  the  Holy  Ghost.' 

And  so  also,  the  voice^  that  was  heard  from  heaven, 
saying,  "  This  is  my  beloved  Son,"  &c.  is  a  creature 
made,  not  of  the  Father  only,  but  of  the  Son  and^  of  ' 


349 

oi^r  Ghost.  Accorcimg  to  that  ruler-*  The  w«>rk»o^dM 
inity  are  indivisible : '  that  is,  all  things  that  are  cheated, 
it  of  the  Godhead,  are  created  equatty  by  all  the^ 
Mnee  Persons,  as  by  One  same  God ;  and  those  Three 
ersons,  with  respect  to  those  creatures,  are  the  One 
me  eternal  God.  And  so  again,  all  the  things  that  are 
eated,  are,  with  respect  to  the  Persons  in  the  God- 
»d,  one  work,  and  not  a  three-fold  or  three-part 
ork.  And  yet,  the  voice  that  was  heard  to  speak  from 
mven  concerning  Christ,  is,  and  is  said  to  be,  the  voice 
r  the  Father  only.  Nor  would  it  be  orthodox  or 
insistent  with  Christianity  to  say  concerning  this  voice, 
This  is  the  Son  of  Gqd  speakitig,'  or  ^  This  is  the 
^erson  of  the  Holy  Ghost  speaking.'  But  we  must  of 
ecessity  say,  '  This  is  the  voice  of  the  Father.'  Al- 
lough  both  the  Holy  Ghost  and  the  Son,  are,  with  the 
father,  the  One  same  eternal  God.  So  that  it  may  be 
ij^tly  said,  concerning  this  voice  that  speaks,  ^  This  is 
be  true  God,  nor  is  there  any  god  besides  him.'  And 
et  again,  it  cannot  be  rightly  said,  '  This  is  the  eternal 
k)n  of  God,'  or  *  This  is  the  Holy  Ghost.'  But  we  must 
ay  this  only,  *  God  the  Father  speaks  this  voice,  or,  is 
R  this  voice.' 

In  the  same  manner,  must  we  also  think  and  speak 
i  the  human  nature  of  Christ  standing  in  the  river 
Fordan. — That  is,  that  it  was  a  creature,  made  equally 
)f  God  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost.  Nor 
loes  faith  permit  it  to  be  said  without  injury,  that  either 
he  Father  alone,  or  the  Son  alone;  or  the  Holy  Ghost 
Ibne,  was  the  maker  of  this  work;  that  is,  of  the 
imnan  nature  in  Christ.  For  it  is  the  indivisible  work 
i  the  Trinity ;  and  each  and  every  Person,  as  One 
Sod,  were  the  maker  of  this  one  work :  as  the  angel 
Sabriel  saith  to  the  Virgin,  Luke  i.  35,  "  The  Holy 
Shost  shall  come  upon  thee,  and  the  power  of  the 
lighest  shall  overshadow  thee."  Not  only  shall  the 
foly  Ghost  (saith  he)  be  with  thee,  coming  upon  thee 
rem  above,  but  the  Highest  hitiaself ;  that  is,  God  the 
tfiffnal  Father  shall  overshadow  thee  by  his  power  or 
IMm  Strength ;  that  is  by  his  Son  or  Looos.     And 


1 

e 

•i 

c 


844 

therefore,  that  which  shall  be  bom  of  thee,  shall  be  Ji 
called  the  Son  of  the  Most  High.    Thus,  therefore,  the  ft 
whole  Godhead  is  the  Maker  or  Creator,  and  made  i 
that  one  same  work,  that  is,  the  human  nature.     And 
yet,  it  was  the  Person  of  the  Son,  or  of  the  Logos,  Jiii 
only,  that  was  united  to  it :  it  was  not  the  Person  of  the 
Father  that  assumed  it,  nor  the  Person  of  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

And  therefore,  it  cannot  be  rightly  said  of  this  Man, 
Jesus  of  Nazareth,  ^  This  is  God  the  Father,'  nor, 
*  This,  is  God  the  Holy  Ghost.'  But  it  must  of  necessity 
be  said,  '  This  is  the  Logos,  the  Son  of  God.'  Al- 
though it  is  true,  that  the  Father,  the  Logos,  and  the 
Holy  Spirit,  are  the  One  same  God.  So  that,  it  may 
be  rightly  and  truly  affirmed  of  this  same  Man,  that  he 
is  God,  and  that  there  is  none  other  god  besides  him. 
And  yet  it  cannot  rightly  be  said,  *  This  is  God  the 
Father,  or  the  Holy  Ghost.'  But  it  must  of  necessity 
be  said,  *  This' is  the  Logos  the  Son  of  God  :  as  Paul 
speaks.  Col.  ii.  9,  "  In  him  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the 
Godhead  bodily."  And  yet,  nothing  is  hereby  taken  or 
diminished  from  the  divinity  of  the  Father,  or  of  the 
Holy  Ghost :  but  each  of  them  are,  together  with  the 
Son  of  God  and  the  same  Man  Christ,  One  eternal 
God! 

From  these  things  I  think  it  may  be  clearly  under- 
stood, how  it  is,  that  the  Three  Persons  in  the  eternal 
Godhead,  and  distinctly  in  the  Godhead,  are  believed 
in,  and  are  not  compelled  to  be  confounded  into  one  Per- 
son :  and  yet,  that  you  are  not  forced  to  divide  the  Unity 
of  the  divine  Essence,  or  to  make  three  gods :  but  that, 
when  you  look  out  of  the  Godhead  unto  the  creatures, 
you  may  confess,  that  there  is  but  One  Maker  or 
Creator :  and  that  he  is  so  smiply,  and  only  One,  that 
even  these  creatures,  in  which  each  one  of  the  Three 
Persons  distinctly  and  separately  manifests  himself,  (as 
we  have  shewn  in  the  baptism  of  Christ,)  are  the  work 
of  th|B  One  same  eternal  God ! 

And,  in  order  that  the  more  simple  -may  by  some 
means  or  other  be  brought  to  think  on  these  mysteries 


'£45 

reptesented  before  them  as  it  were  in  a  picture,  MtAe 
writers,  and  particularly  Bonaventura,  make  use  of 
quite  a  plain  similitude. — That  it  is  like  unto  three 
virgins,  two  of  which  among  them  clothe  the  other  one 
with  a  new  garment :  yet  so,  that  all  the  three  put  their 
bands  to  the  same  garment  at  the  same  time,  and  the 
third,  together  with  the  other  two,  puts  the  garment  on 
herself.  Here  the  three  virgins  together  clotne  the  one 
with  the  garment:  yet  so,  that  one  only,  and  not  the 
other  two,  is  clothed  in  that  garment. 

According  to  this  similitude,  it  is  also  to  be  under- 
stood here,  that  the  Three  Persons  in  the  Godhead,  the 
One  God,  Creator,  and  Maker,  were  the  One  Author  of 
the  one  and  same  work  ;  that  is,  of  tlie  human  nature  of 
Christ ;  and  united  it  with  the  Son  of  God,  the  Logos, 
in  the  same  Person.  Yet  so,  that  the  Son,  the  Locos 
only,  and  not  the  Father  nor  the  Holy  Ghost,  assumed 
that  nature. — And  in  the  same  manner  also  are  we  to 
understand  it  concerning  the  "  dove,"  in  'the  "  shape  " 
of  which  the  Holy  Ghost  revealed  himself  at  the  bap- 
tism of  Christ. — And  in  the  same  way  also  we  are  to 
understand  it  concerning  the  "  rushing  mighty  wind  " 
and  the  "  tongues  of  fire,"  under  which  the  same  Spirit 
revealed  himself  visibly  on  the  day  of  Pentecost.  And 
also  in  all  other  testimonies  and  manifestations  that 
are  ascribed  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  he  is  said,  in  the 
church  or  in  the  scriptures  by  the  prophets,  to  have 
wrought. 

"DUT  here  it  will,  not  perhaps  improperly,  be 
asked  by  some,  why  it  is  commonly  said  in 
the  Confession  or  Creed  of  Faith,  or  rather,  why  the 
scriptures  teach  us  to  say,  '  I  believe  in  God  the 
Father.  Almighty,  Maker  of  heaven  and  earth,'  and 
why  the  Son  is  not  properly  called  *  the  Maker  ?  * 
And  again,  '  I  believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  who  was  con- 
ceived of  the  Holy  Ghost,'  (not  of  God  the  Father?) 
And  again,  why  it  is  said  in  the  Nicene  Creed,  *  I  be- 
lieve in  the  Holy  Ghost  (not  in  th^  Father  or  the  Son) 
who  spake  by  the  prophets  ?' —  Here  certainly  distinct 


^246 

works  sure  ftscribed  to  each  Peraoa  as  thpii^ 
them  from  the  rest,  that  they  may  be  truly  distin^i^^ 
from  each  other.  But  these  things  will,  perhaps,  ajqw 
to  the  mprp  simple  to  be  too  abstruse.  If,  then,  they 
canno);  apprehend  things  any  higher,  it  is  enough  Jk 
the^rto  hold  this  plain  article  of  faith, — That,  althou^ 
there  be  Three  Persons,  God  the  Father,  the  Son,  edcI 
the  Holy  Ghost,  yet,  these  Three  are  but  One  and  tbe 
sanie  eternal  God.— But  however,  in  the  doctrine  of  the 
church,  it  is  necessary  that  these  things  be  explained  in 
some  nieasure ;  to  the  end  that  we  may  learn  to  under- 
stand them  and  speak  of  them  righdy ;  that  the  corrup- 
tions of  the  devil,  and  the  mad  dreams  of  heretics,  may  [Jf 
"be  guarded  against  and  refuted. 

First  of  all,  then,  it  is  certain  and  indubitable,  that  k 
was  the  will  of  God,  that  he  should  be  known  in  tlSis 
life  by  faith,  and  in  the  life  to  come  by  an  eternal  open 
vision,  that  he  is  One  eternal  Mind,  and  Three  distinct 
Persons:  which  knowledge  is  "life  eternal:"  as  it  is 
written,  John  xvii.  3.  And,  that  he  might  be  thus 
known,  he  has  given  us  his  Word  and  the  scriptures, 
confirmed  by  testimonies  of  miracles  and  divine  works ; 
that  we  might  therein  learn  that  which  he  would  have 
us  know  concerning  himself.  For,  to  the  end  that  he 
might  be  thus  rightly  known,  there  was  need  of  reve- 
lation and  doctrine,  wherein  he  might  reveal  himself 
unto  us,  and  might  discover  himself  to  our  view  :  for  of 
ourselves,  and  by  our  own  wisdom,  we  were  not  able  tp  ] 
penetrate  into  that  heavenly  mystery,  nor  by  searching  . 
to  find  out  what  God  is,  nor  what  is  the  nature  of  the 
divine  essence.  But,  that  we  might  in  some  degree  in 
our  minds  attain  unto  these  incomprehensible  things,  he 
uses  similitudes  to  set  them  forth  unto  us,  whicn  are 
taken  from  things  created  and  visible :  for  things  invi- 
sible do  not  affect  our  senses  and  minds. 

The  creature,  then,  or  all  things  that  are  created, 
are  to  be  considered  in  a  two-fold  way. 

First :  Each  work  is  to  be  considered  absokttely^  (as 
we  coinmonly  use  the  term,)  and  in  itself,  or  in  its  xiature; 
that  is,  distinctly  from  it^  des^  in.  being  created  of 


847 

00!^  t^In  tbi9*  view  ifdl  ^r^aturai  wHboiit  distinctiao  arst 
;  iffd  itre  colled,  the  creatures  of  God ;  (or  of  ^tbe  God- 
.J)im4;)  thikt  is,  tb^  works  or  workmanship  of  the  Three 
^erson.s  equally ;  as  it  has  been  before  observed.  For 
$his  consideration  does  apt  convey  any  distinct,  know- 
?)<^ge  of  any  cme  of  the  Persons  distinctively :  seeing  that, 
l^^ch  one  of  the  things  which  are  qiade  are  mutually 
^nd  equally  the  work  of  the  Three  Persons,  or  of  the 
*Qne  God. 

,  Secondly :  These  same  things  that- are  created  are  to  be 
considered  also  relatively:  not  as  they  are  in  their  nature, 
JHit  as  they  are  distinguished  by  their  use,  whereby  God 
makes  use  of  them  to  reveal  himself  unto  us.  Thus, 
God  uses  his  creature,  that  is,  the  mutual  work  of  the 
Three  Persons  and  One  God,  for  this  purpose, — that  he 
ought  discover  and  manifest  himself  by  these,  as  ima^s 
and  similitudes,  in  a  certain  ^^  shape  "  as  it  were.  By 
these  means,  therefore,  the  creatures  become  visible 
imager,  or  signs,  or  testimonies  and  manifestions,  of 
the  Three  distinct  Persons. 

Thus,  in  that  wonderful  revelation  made  at  the 
baptism  of  Christ,  he  used  a  "  dove,"  that  it  might  be 
an  image  or  sign  of  revelation,  whereby  the  Spirit  might 
visibly  manifest  himself  This  therefore  is  a  distinct,  or 
proper,  and  incommunicable  "  shape  "  under  which  the 
Person  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  not  of  the  Father  or  of  the 
§Qn,  is  peculiarly  revealed.  For  so  it  seemed  good  unto 
Ae  eternal  God  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost,  that  this  shape  of  a  dove  should  signify  and  set 
forth  unto  us  the  distinct  Person  of  the  Holy  Ghost : 
that  is,  that  we  might  be  made  certain,  by  distinct 
images  being  set  before  us,  that  the  Godhead  itself,  or 
the  one  e§$enc«  of  the  eternal  God,  is  truly  Three 
Persons  distinct  from  all  eternity.  And  therefore  it  is, 
that  Luke  expressly  §ays,  that  "the  Holy  Ghost  (not 
l^e^  Father  or  the  Son)  descended  in  a  bodily  shape  liko 
a  dove,"  &c. 

And  in  the  same  manner  also  we  rightly  speak  con^ 
ceming  the  Person  of  the  Son  of  God  :  that  is,  that- he 
leveled  himself  by  a^p^mning  thisour  huiMn  natvK.;  or. 


048 


MiFteil  saith^  '*  the  jform  of  a^'^H^iit;'  being '  ^uad 
ikshion/  (or  as  his  more  expressive  Words  ate,  in  tl 
scheme;  that  is,  all  the  gestnres  and  mode  and  mam 
of  life,)  as  a  man;"  that  is,  being  truly  man.  Tl 
"  form,"  therefore,  or  human  nature  assumed  by  Chrii 
is  not  the  shape  or  manifestation  of  God  the  Father, 
the  Holy  Spirit ;  (although  it  is  true  that  it  is  the  i^oi 
or  creature  both  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
as  well  as  of  the  Son ;)  but,  is  properly  and  distinctly  tl 
shape  or  form  of  the  Son  of  God  only.  For  thus 
seemed  good  unto  the  eternal  God,  that  is,  unto 
Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  the  Son  ct\ 
God  should  be  manifested  unto  the  human  race  under 
this  shape  or  form  of  the  human  nature;  that  he  might' 
be  acknowledged  as  a  Person  distinct  from  the  Person 
of  the  Father  and  of  the  Spirit,  and  yet,  of  the  One  sam» 
co-eternal,  indivisible,  divine  Essence. 

In  the  same  manner  also  are  we  to  speak  of  the 
Person  of  God  the  Father, — that  he  manifested  himself 
unto  us  in  the  *'  voice  from  heaven."  For  this  shape  or 
form  is  not  a  form  or  manifestation  of  the  Son,  or  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  but  of  God  the  Father  only ;  who  under 
this  shape  distinctively  manifested,  willed  himself  to  be 
revealed  as  a  Person  distinct  from  the  Person  of  the 
Son  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  but  yet,  of  the  one  same 
indivisible  Godhead. 

But  take,  if  you  please,  a  more  plain  and  homely 
example  of  this  different  view  or  consideration  of  the 
creature,  drawn  from  those  words  which  we  commonly 
use  in  the  church. — When  a  minister  of  the  gospel  acf- 
ministers  baptism  to  any  one,  he  does  it  in  these  words, 
*  In  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.'  All  these  words  are  certainly  creatures, 
and  a  work  made  of  God  in  our  mouths,  even  as  we 
are  ourselves,  and  all  that  is  ours.  And  yet,  no  one  of 
these  is  properly  or  separately  the  work  either  of  God 
the  Father,  or  of  the  Son,  or  of  the  Hojy  Ghost :  but 
the  common  work  of  the  Three  Persons,  and  so,  of  the 
One  God. 

But  if  you  look  at  the  signification  and  meaning  of 


849 

wordsyor  at  the  things  signified  by  them,  yoa  amiiot 
^^  fj^itly  say  that  by^  these  words,  ^in  the  name  of  God 
Father,'  the  Three  Persons  are  equally  signified; 
separately  and  particularly,  the  Person  of  Gpd  the 
ther.     So  also  by  these  words,  *  and  of  the  Son,'  is 
lerjiainly  signified  the  Person  of  the  Son  of  God,  or  of  the 
Gos.   And  by  these  words,  *  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,* 
properly  and  only  signified  the  Person  of  the  Holy 
Jyfthost. — ^Thus,  I  say,  there  are  Three  Persons  singly 
^ui^ttd  distinctly  signified,  yet  of  the  same  divine  essence^ 
these  words,  or  signs,  or  marks.    For  it  is  not  said  in 
^pfce  names y  as  if  they  were  more  than  one,  or  as  if  each 
te  Person  had  a  name  and  peculiar  essence  dis- 
ict  from  the  others;  but  it  is  said,  ^  in  the  name  of  the 
'ather  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost ; '  be* 
se,   there  is  but  one  name  in  the  one  undivided 
xssence,  though  there  are,  nevertheless.  Three  distinct 
J^ersons. 

From  this  example,  that  which  I  have  said  concern- 
ing the  twofold  consideration  of  the  things  that  are 
tf  created,  may,  I  think,  be  understood  with  sufficient 
ac  clearness. — That  they  are  to  be  received  as  things^  and 
>  as  signs.  That  is,  as  subsisting  by  themselves  as  they 
fc  were  created  of  God;  and,  as  used  to  signify  and  teach 
ft  something  which  they  are  not  in  themselves. — Thus,  for 
\  instance,  smoke,  is  both  a  thing  created  of  God  in 
itself,  or  in  its  nature,  and  is  also  the  sign  of  another 
thing,  which  it  is  not  by  nature,  but  which  it  only  sig- 
nifies and  shews  forth,-*-as  fire.  Of  which  kind  of 
signs,  Augustine  has  collected  many  in  his  books  con* 
ceming  Christian  doctrine. 

But  in  this  manifestation  of  the  divinity  we  must 
understand  something  more  than  has  been  set  forth  in 
these  general  arguments.  For  the  human  nature  in 
which  the  Son  of  God  manifested  himself,  was  not  a 
bare  sign  only,  or  a  mere  empty  representation  of 
another  thing  which  was  not  its  own  by  nature,  that  is, 
of  the  Person  of  the  Son  of  God :  (even  as  also  we  are 
not  to  understand  concerning'  the  dove  that  appeared,* 
that  it  was  a  mere  empty  sign  or  representation :  or,  of 

VOL.  II.  s 


E 


S50 

the  voice  that  spake  from  heaven,  that  it  was  a  mere 
empty  sound  or  image:)  for,  this  human  nature  in 
which  the  Person  of  the  Son  of  God  was  distinctly  and 
properly  manifested,  was  fulFy  and  wholly  received  into, 
and  united  with,  the  divine  nature,  in  the  same  Person; 
that  is,  in  that  Person  which  sitteth  at  the  right  hand 
of  God  the  Father  to  all  eternity,  ruling  in  his  eternal 
kingdom;  as  we  have  heard  it  declared  above  in  the 
promise  made  to  David.  But  the  dove  that  appeared 
was  a  shape  assumed  by  the  Holy  Ghost  for  a  time 
only,  that  he  might  by  it  manifest  himself :  it  was  never 
taken  by  him  into  personal  and  eternal  union,  but  was 
afterwards  laid  aside  by  him :  even  as  the  angels  some- 
times appear  in  a  human  form,  which  they  assume  for 
the  time,  and  afterwards  lay  aside  again.  And  so  also 
we  are  to  judge  of  the  Person  of  the  heavenly  Father. 
For  there  was  no  promise  made  concerning .  Uiis  voice, 
nor  any  decree  from  above,  (as  there  was  concerning 
the  Person  of  the  Son,)  that  there  should  be  a  perpetual 
tronj  unction  or  personal  union ;  it  was  only  used  as  a 
manifestation  for  a  very  short  time. 

When  therefore  it  is  said  in  our  common 
Creed,  *  I  believe  in  God  the  Father  Almighty,  Maker 
of  heaven  and  earth,'  it  is  not  to  be  understood  as  say- 
ing, that  the  Person  of  the  Father  only  is  Almighty  and 
the  Maker  of  heaven  and  earth,  or  that  that  same  Person 
only  is  our  Father.  For  the  Son  also  is  truly  and  equally 
Almighty,  the  Maker  of  all  things,  and  our  Father.  And 
Bo  also  the  Holy  Ghost  is  Almighty,  and  Maker,  and  \ 
'  Father. — And  yet,  there  are  ;  not  three  almighties,  or 
three  creators,  or  three  fathers;  but.  One  Almighty, 
One  Father,  and  One  Creator  of  the  heaven,  the  earth, 
end  us  all.  And  so  also,  God  the  Father  is  our  Saviour 
and  Redeemer,  the  Son  our.  Saviour  and  Redeemer, 
and  the  Holy  Ghost  our  Saviour  and  Redeemer:  and 
yet,  there  are  not  three  saviours  or  redeemers,  but 
One"  Saviour  and  Redeemer  or  Deliverer,  And,  in  a 
word,  as  the  Father  is  our  God,  so  the  Son  is  our  God, 
'and  the  Holy  Ohost  is  our  Gt)d:  and  yet,  there  are  not 
three  godis^  but  One  eternal  God.     And  bo,  in  the 


251 

teitoe  maitiier,  llie  lioly  Ghost  ^Ctifie^  tli'e  churdV, 
arid  tfiife  Father  and  the  Son  sanctify  the  church:  arid 
yet,  there  are  not  three  sanctifiers,  but  One  Sanctifiei*. 
For,  as  we  have  already  said,  the  works  of  the  Trinity, 
out  of  the  Godhead,  or  with  respect  to  the  creatures, 
are  indivisible. 

I  have  thus  spoken  on,  and  set  forth  these  things, 
that  it  may  be  plainly  and  clearly  understood,  that  we 
acknowledge,  believe  in,  and  confess,  Three  Persons  in 
One  Godhead ;  and  that  we  do  not  mingle  nor  confound 
the  Persons,  nor,  on  the  other  hand,  divide  or  sunder 
the  Unity  of  the  essence.  For  the  peculiar  property 
of  the  Father,  wherein  he  is  distinguishable  from  the 
Person  of  the  Son,  is,  as  we  have  already  shewn,  this — 
that  he  does  not  derive  his  divinity  from  any  other  than 
from  himself;  and  he  communicates  the  same  unto  the 
Son  by  an  eternal  generation.  Wherefore,  the  Son  also, 
together  and  equally  with  the  Father,  is  God  the 
Creator  of  all  things:  but  he  has  this  from  the  Father 
from  all  eternity.  For,  in  that  the  Father  is  God  atid 
Creator,  he  has  not  that  as  derived  from  the  Son :  but, 
in  that  the  Son  is  God  and  Creator,  he  has  that  as  de- 
rived from  the  eternal  Father.  And  so,  the  Father  arid 
the  Son,  in  that  they  are  each  God  and  Creator,  have 
not  that  as  derived  from  the  Holy  Ghost :  but,  on  the 
contrary,  in  that  the  Holy  Ghoi^t  is  God  and  Creator, 
he  has  that  as  derived  equally  from  the  Father  and  frorii 
the  Son  fiiom  all  eternity. 

This,  therefore,  is  the  reason  why,  when  mention  id 
made  of  the  Person  of  the  Father  first  in  tlie  Cree^^ 
these  words  are  added,  *  Father,'  ^  Aliriighty/  atiid 
*  Maker:'  Which  are  npt  added  to  the  Person'  of  ihe 
Son  or  of  the  Holy  Ghbst,  to  the  intent  that  the  Perkbri 
of  the  ]Pather  maybe  Considered  distinctively  from  tiie 
Persons  of  the  Soii  iand  of  the  Holy  Ghoist,  in  tKe'atti 
sittiple  Unity  of  the  Godhead. '  And  afterward^i 'wheh 
mention  is  hiade  of  the  Persons  of  the  Son  atrd  of  thb 
Holy  Ghost;  then  again,  there  are  peculiar  marks  6f 
(Ksimction- added,  to  the  intent  that.it  might  lid  mdet- 
stood/ ^that  the  F^rsOn  of  the  Sort  is  distinct  frdin  tMfe 

s  2 


■ 

Peraons  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  aii4 
again,  the  Person  of  the  Holy  Ghost  distinct  from  the 
I^rsons  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son.  And  these  j 
distinctive  marks  are  thus.— The  First  Person  is  called 
Father  and  Creator,  because  it  is  derived  from  him  that 
the  Son  and  the  Holy  Ghost  are  each  Father  Almighty, 
and  Creator.  So  that,  the  Father  may  be  understooid  as 
being,  as  it  were,  the  origin,  beginning,  and  fountain,  (if 
we  may  be  allowed  to  use  such  terms  when  speaking  of 
God,  which  terms  the  old  ecclesiastical  writers  some* 
times  used,)  of  the  Godhead :  for  it  is  from  him  that 
the  Son  and  the  Holy  Ghost  derive  an  equal  divinity, 
from  all  eternity:  but  the  Father  does  not  derive  it 
either  from  the  Son  or  from  the  Holy  Ghost 

These  things  have  I  advanced  concerning  the  pro- 
perties whereby  the  Persons  in  the  Godhead  are  distin- 
guished.    But  in  addition  to  these  interior  distinctions^  - 
^if  I  may  so  term  them,)  there  are  others  also  which  we 
may  term  exterior  distinctions^  or,  ^  distinctions  exter- 
nally manifested  in  the  revelations  and  benefits  vouch- 
safed to  the  church. — Such  as,  the  manifestation  of  the 
Person  of  the  Son  in  human  nature.  For  this  nature  the 
Son  of  God  only,  the  Logos,  assumed;  who  was  con- 
ceived (or  as  the  Greeks  have  expressed  it,  evcretpKvO^if, 
incarnate^)  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  bom  of  the  Virgin  Mary, 
was  crucified  for  us,  and  died,  &c.  as  the  confession  of 
the  Creed  teaches.     And  yet  it  was  all  so,  that  it  may 
be  piously  and  rightly  said,  that  God  suffered  for  us 
and  was  crucified,  &c.     Because,  the  Son  of  God  is 
truly  the  One  God,  without  and  besides  whom,  diere  is  * 
no  god.    And  yet,  nevertheless,  the  other  Persons  in  the 
same  Godhead  are  others  beside  him ;  that  i?,  the  Per- 
sons of  the  Father  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

.  And  so  alsoy  the  Person  of  the  Holy  Ghost  was 
distinctly  and  separately  manifested  in  the  fiery  tongues, 
and  other  gifb  and  miraculous  testimonies  that  were 
vouchsafed  to  the  church^  And  as  it  is  true  that  the  hu- 
man nature  which  was  assumed  by  the  Son  of  God,  was 
a  work  of  the  whole  Godhead,  made  by  God  the  Father, 
the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost;  so  also,  the  flames  of 


sis 

fite  in  the  form  of  tongues,  and  the  sifts  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  were  the  work  and  workmanMip  of  the  whole 
Trinity,  or  of  the  Three  Persons ;  as  I  have  already  often 
shewn  before,  and  with  sufficient  fulness  for  a  short 
treatise  like  this.  For  if  any  desire  to  hear  more  upon 
die  subject,  there  are  some  books  upon  these  things 
extaqt,  ably  written  by  Augustine,  Hilary,  and  Cyril. 
And  this  very  doctrinal  article  concerning  the  Godhead, 
l^  the  peculiar  blessing  of  God,  has  been  left  to,  and, 
spread  abroad  in,  the  church,  even  by  the  writers  of  the 
schools,  (as  they  are  called.)  and  in  such  a  manner,  that 
I  find  no  reason  for  differing  from  them.        ~ 

TJUT  here,  some  are  distressed  upon  this 
point. — Whether,  when  they  pray  the  com- 
mon prayer,  *  Our  Father  which  art  in  heaven,'  they 
should  consider  themselves  as  addressing  properly  and 
distinctly  the  Person  of  God  the  Father,  or  as  em- 
bracing together  the  whole  Godhead,  that  is,  the  other 
Persons  also  at  the  same  time. — It  is  no  wonder  that 
the  human  mind  should  be  variously  exercised  upon  so 
wonderful  and  stupendous  a  mystery,  and  upon  an 
article  so  far  above  the  capacity  of  all  human  reason ; 
that  it  should  be  tossed  as  it  were  to  and  fro  by  various 
cogitations,  some  of  which  should  sometimes  err  from 
the  path  of  the  real  and  pure  truth ;  and  that,  although 
the  main  truth  should  be  firmly  held,  it  should  yet  be 
warped  by  an  improper  mode  of  expression,  or  by  terms 
ill  suited  and  ill  adapted.  But  still,  while  the  truth  and 
feith  are  held  as  a  certain  and  sure  foundation,  these 
little  sticks  and  straws  of  errors,  like  trifling  blemishes 
in  a  sound  and  beautiful  body,  do  not  hinder  our 
salvation. 

And  that  foundation  on  which  faith  rests,  is  this. — 
That  thou  firmly  believe  and  confess,  that  there  are 
Three  Persons  in  One  eternal  Godhead ;  and  that  each 
distinct  one  of  those  Persons  is  the  same  only  eternal, 
and  in  every  respect  true,  God.  That  is,  that  thou  so 
believe  and  confess  them,  that  thou  neither  confound  the 
Persons7  nor  divide  the  essence  or  the  Unity  of  the 


\ 


S54 

Godhead:  but,  that  the  distinction  of  Persons  be  uildci(* 
8tood>  «tid  that  the  ait-simple  Unity  of  the  essence,  (oli 
as  the  okl  church  termed  it,  the  o/tovo-ioy,)  be  not  <kP 
stroyed. — This  is  that  very  mystery  of  hidden  and  won- 
derful wisdom,  with  looking  ilito  and  admiring  wfaicbi 
the  angels  themselves  cannot  satiate  themselves ;  tt 
Peter  saith.  They  are  unceasingly  delisting  thems^vei 
in  it,  and  gazing  upon  it  as  with  fixed  and  rivetted  ^e^ 
and  in  this  b^olding  of  it  are  eternally  happy  :  bat,  tf 
they  could  foresee  or  suspect  any  end  to  such  a  wonder, 
theie  would  be  an  end  to  their  felicity.  And  so  vfe  slsbf 
by  the  all-great  favour  of  God,  shall  behold  the  same  id 
that  eternal  dwelling  in  the  presence  of  God,  and  shall 
enjoy  that  vision  saved  and  blessed  for  ever  and  ever! 
as  Christ  saith  John  xvii.  4,  ^^  And  this  is  life  eternal, 
that  they  may  know  th^  the  one  true  God,  and  Jesus 
Christ  whom  thou  hast  sent." 

But  before  we  enjoy  that  eternal  vision:  in  die  pie- 
seace  of  God,  it  is  necessary  that  we  in  the  mean  time 
rest  on  the  Word  by  faith ;  in  which  God  reveals  hioH 
self  unto  us,  and  wherein  as  it  were  we  lay  hold  of  tte 
promised  life.  Beason  can  know  nothing  in  these  all*' 
high  things,  and  can  do  nothing  but  raise  her  voice  and 
exclaim  against  them ;  and  cavil  and  say,  that  these 
things  are  impossible,  and  that  they  are  inconsistent  and 
militate  against  each  other ; — that  there  are  three,  (wh(Hn 
we  call  Persons,)  and  that  each  of  them  is  perfectly, 
and  in  respects,  God ;  and  yet,  that  these  Three  are  not 
a  plurality  of  gods,  but  the  One  eternal  God;  and  that 
one  of  these  Persons  only,  that  is  the  Son  of  God  t^ 
Logos,  assumed  human  nature,  and  is  truly  Man.  He 
however  Avho  shall  have  come  to  the  knowledge  of  God 
the  Father  and  of  the  Son  by  the  Word,  will  soon  coine 
to  the  knowledge  of  the  Holy  Ghosts  proceeding  from 
the  same  Father  and  the  Soa. 

And,  as  we  have  said  above,  as  God  the  Father  is 
the  God,  Fath»,  and  Author  of  tis«U,  and  so,  of  aU^ 
ttiings  in  nature  that  are  created;  so,  the  Son,  the 
JLoGos,  is  equally  God  the  Creator  and  Fathcar  of  ^all ; 
aod  so  also,  the  Holy  Ghost  is  equally  God,  and  Ae 


U6 

^i^^Xjox  or  Author,  and.Father  of  all,     And  yet,  theri^ 
£s  but  One  God  and  Father  of  all.    For  there  is  no  dif-' 
ffeirence  or  distinction  of  essence.    Therefore,  whichever , 
«Df  the  Three  Persons  you  name  or  think  on,  you  at  the  ! 
same  time  name  and  think  on  the  One  true  God,  or  the  . 
^hole  Godhead:  for  each  Person  is  the  One  same  eter- 
ngL^  and  in  all  respects  true,  God.     And  there  is  no- 
danger  of  falling  into  error  or  offence  here:  for  Jesus- « 
Christ  the  Son  of  God  is  not  a  God,  or  Creator,  or,  . 
Father  of  all  creatures,  different  from  God  the  Father . 
iMijd  from  the  Holy  Ghost,  although  he  is  another  Per-  . 
SOD.    And  you  may  rightly  say  the  same  also,  concerning  r 
the  Fatlier  and  the  Holy  Spirit. 

Hence,  it  is  not  only  an  error  and  false,  but  also  an 
impossibility  and  a  nothing  at  all,  if  thou  address  the 
Person  of  God  the  Father  as  ^Our  Father,'  alone,  anii ' 
separately  from,  the  other  Two  Persons,  and  do  notem-!- 
brace  in  thy  address  at  the  same  time,  and  conjointly 
with  the  Father,  the  Persons  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy  ^ 
Ghost  also.    For  by  so  doing,  thou  thinkest  upon  the  true 
divine  essence,  or  the  very  Godhead,  separately  and 
dividedly,  and  excludest  from  it  God  the  Son  and  the, 
Holy  Ghost;  which  is  altogether  to  be  rejected  as  de-' 
parting  from  the  faith. 

But  it  is  another  thing  to  speak  of  the  personal 
Fatherhood,  (if  I  may  use  the  term,)  of  God  the  Father, 
which  is  his  personal  property,  and  wherein  he  is  dis- 
tinctively called  God  the  Father.  For  in  this  respect  he 
is,  and  is  called,  the  only  Father  of  this  only  begotten 
Son  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  begotten  before  all  \vorlds. 
But  he  is  not  in  such  a  respect  my  father  and  thinis,  aiid 
the  father  of  all  others ;  nor  am  I,  nor  thou,  nor  any  others, 
ix^  such  a  respect,  his  children.  For  there  is  but  One 
only  Son  begotten  of  the  Father  before  all  worlds  :  and 
that  is  he  of  whom  it  is  said  Psalm  ii.  7,  "  Thou  art  my 
Son,  this  day  have  I  begotten  thee."  And  yet,  this  sa^e 
Son,  according  to  his  human  nature  and  its  age,  that  is, 
which  was  about  thirty  years  old  when  he  was  baptized, 
^d  then  became  forty,  and  then  fifty  years  old,  and 
whi^  If^s ,  now  existed  more  than  one  thousand  five 


fl56 

faondned  yeats  since  the  time  when  he  first  absumed  thai' 
nature, — this  same  Son,  I  say,  who  was  bom  at  a  cer- 
tain time  of  the  Virgin,  may  be  called  the  Son  of  the 
whole  Godhead,  or  of  the  Three  Persons  who  are  the 
same  One  God. 

And,  as  the  works  of  the  Trinity,  from  without^  are 
indivisible,  so  also  the  knowledge  and  worship  of  the 
Trinity  are  indivisible:  and  whatever  God  does  with 
respect  to  the  creatures,  the  same  do  all  the  Three  Per- 
sons do  and  act  together  without  difference;  because, 
they  are  the  One  same  eternal  God.  And,  on  the  other 
hand,  what  we  or  any  creature  do  towards  any  one  of 
the  Persons  in  the  Godhead,  by  believing,  by  suppli-^ 
eating,  or  by  any  kind  of  spiritual  worship,  the  same  we 
do  also  towards  the  One  God,  or  the  whole  Godhead, 
and  toward  all  the  Tliree  Persons  without  difference. 
Because,  with  respect  to  us,  or  toward  us,  there  is  but 
One,  undivided,  eternal  God :  and  yet,  there  are  in  that 
same  One  Godhead,  Three  Persons  distinct  from  each 
other. 

Concerning  this  worship,  Christ  himself  speaks 
thus,  John  xiv.-T-"  He  that  hath  seen  me,  Philip,  hath 
seen  the  Father.  Believest  thou  not  that  I  am  in  the 
Tather  and  the  Father  in  me?"  And  also  John  v.  23, 
",  That  all  men  should  honour  the  Son,  even  as  they 
honour  the  Father."  Again,  John  x.  30,  "  I  and  my 
Father  aje  one:''  that  is,  (as.  we  should  say  in  our 
mode  of  expression,)  of  one  and  the  same  eternal  nature 
or  essence,  that  is,  One  God,  One  Lord,  only  to  be  wor- 
shipped. And  it  was  for  these  very  words  that  the  Jews, 
when  they  heard  them,  judged  Christ  worthy  of  being 
stoned  to  death  as  an  awful  blasphemer.  And  again, 
when  he  said,  John  v.  7,  "  My  Father  worketh  hitherto 
and  I  work,"  the  Jews  (as  John  says)  "  sought  the 
more  to  kill  him,  because  he  not  only  had  broken  the 
sabbath,  but  said  also  that  God  was  his  Father,  making 
himself  equal  with  God." 

But  I  shall  now  come  to  a  conclusion  upon  this  part 
pf  our  subject. — I  designed  to  write  but  a  short  treatise ; 
and  I  know  not  how  it  is  that  I  have  gone  out  intoargu« 


257 

ments  and  discussions  of  such  a  length.  But  however, 
if  any  one  desires  to  arrive  at  the  true  doctrine,  and  a 
solid  knowledge  of  these  things,  let  him  diligently  and 
attentively  read  and  ponder  the  Gospel  written  by  John, 
m  which  the  whole  of  this  doctrine  is  copiously  set  forth. 

So  far,  then,  (to  return  now  to  the  point  from  which 
we  have  thus  digressed,)  have  we  listened  to  John  as 
the  interpreter  of  Moses ;  or  rather,  have  heard  Moses 
himself  testify  that  he  fully,  and  in  all  respects,  agrees 
with  John.  That  is,  that  in  the  beginning,  or  before  ^ 
any  thing  was  made,  was  the  Logos  or  Word,  by  whom 
all  things  were  made  or  brought  forth  into  being ;  that 
this  Logos  is  not  and  cannot  be  a  thing  created  or 
made;  and  that  this  same  Logos  is  another  thing,  or 
rather  another  Person,  from  him  whose  Word  or  Logos 
be  is.  For  since  the  Logos  is  not  by  nature  created, 
but  all  things  were  created  by  him ;  it  must  of  necessity 
follow,  that  this  Logos  is  the  true  God  himself,  the 
Creator  of  all  things;  because,  it  is  evident  that  there 
can  be  nothing  out  of,  and  apart  from  all  creatures,  but 
God  himself  the  Creator.  And  yet,  as  it  has  been 
observed,  this  Logos  the  God  and  Oeator  by  whom  all 
things  were  made,  is  a  Person  distinct  from  the  Person 
that  speaks,  or  of  whom  he  is  the  Logos. 

Moses  therefore  is  unto  us  a  sure  and  faithful 
witness ;  and  therefore  he  confesses,  that  he  subscribes 
abo  unto  Christ,  or  is  a  Christian !  For  he  confesses  and 
teaches  that  same  thing  which  we  and  the  church  of 
Christ  teach :  namely,  that  God  the  Logos  by  whom 
all  things  were  created,  was  with  God  from  all  eternity  \ 
as  J6hn  also  testifies. 

AND  now,  let  us  hear  iox  a  short  time  our 

other  messenger,  Paul  the  Apostle ;  that  he 

may  also  call  Moses  forth,  and  place  him  before  us. 

Paul,  then,  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Colossians,  chap.  i.  15, 

manifestly  speaking  of  Christ,  saith, 

"  Who  is  the  image  of  the  invisible  God,  the  Jtrst- 
bern  of  every  creature.  For  by  him  were  all  things 
cffMedj  that  are  in  heaven^  and  that  are  in  earth j  visible 


and  invisible^  whether  they  be  thrones^  or  dominions^  or,,: 
prifwipaUiieSy  or  powers  ;  all  things  were  created,  by  him  ] 
and  for  him.  And  he  is  before  all  things^  and  by  him  aU  \ 
things  consist.'' 

It  is  evident  that  these  words  cannot  be  understoocj  ■ 
concerning  the  human  nature  of  Christ ;  for  it  is  certain 
that  he  had  not  the  human  nature  ^^  before  all  things ' 
were  wade,"  because  it  is  not  above  one  thousand  five  • 
hundred  and  forty  years  ago  that  he  began  to  be  Man. — 
And  indeed,  this  is  a  glorious  and  memorable  te^timopy  of 
Paul,  that  Christ  is  truly  the  eternal  God,  the  Creator  of 
the  whole  nature  of  things ;  and  that,  from  the  beginning 
ufito  this  day,  and  from  henceforth  even  for  ever,  aU ' 
things  exist,  consist,  subsist  and  are  preserved  by  him  ; : 
even  those  things  which  are  the  highest  and   in  the 
highest  degree,  either  in  heaven  or  in  earth,  angels  or : 
spiritual  creatures,  and  in  a  word,  "  all  things,  visible 
aiid  invisible."    In  which  words,  the  Apostle  beautifully 
agrees  with  the  expressions  of  John,' and  declares  pre-* 
cisely  the  same  things  as  he  declares,  that,  ^'  all  things 
vyiere  made  by  him,"  and  that  "  without  him  was  not: 
any  thing  made  that  was  made."  When  therefore  Moses 
hears  these  words,  as  he  had  just  before  by  his  con- 
fession approved  the  words  of  John,  and  declared  that 
he  held  them  as  the  sound  truth;  so,  as  soon  as  he 
bears  these  words  of  Paul  also,  he  immediately  sub- 
scribes to  them,  and  thus  gives  his  vote  as  if  declaring  ijt 
in  person — ^  Thou  sayest  rightly,  Paul.    For  concerding 
this  which  thou  art  now  setting  forth,  I  wished  to  leave 
my  testimony,  which  I  also  publicly  recorded   in  my 
.writings  long  ago ; — that  the  whole  nature  of  the  things 
that  are  created,  was  created   by  the  Logos,  or  the 
Word  of  him  that  spoke,'  Gen.  i. 

Moreover,  when  the  same  Paul  saith,  1  Cor.  x.  4, 
"  They  all  drank  of  that  spiritud  rock  that  foUoiyed 
them,  and  that  rock  was  Christ,"  we  must  from  this 
necessarily  gather,  that,  if  Christ  then  existed;  -in  tibyait 
very  Ntime  of  the  history  which  is  written  by  Mosejs,  and 
if  he  followed  the  children  pf  Israel  while  wau^edog 
ioFty  years  in  ihe  desert,  and  they  all  drew  their  spirkiw 


259 

drink  from  him  and  were  baptized  of  him  with  a  spiritual 
baptism,  that  is,  believed  in  Christ  who  should  come  in^ 
the  flesh  ^ith  the  same  faith  as  we  believe  in  him  as  now 
manifested ; — then,  this  Christ  is  truly  and  naturally^ 
the  eternal  God.  For  faith  in  God,  can  neither  centre 
in  the  angels  nor  in  any  creatied  thing ;  because,  such 
things  cannot  be  meat  and  drink  unto  us ;  nor  can  any 
thing  be  s6,  but  the  eternal  God  only. 

And  again  the  Apostle  says  in  the  same  place  imme^ 
diately  after,  ver.  9,  "  Let  us  not  tempt  Christ  as  some' 
of  them  also  tempted  and  were  destroyed  of  serpents.* 
What  then  is  this  that  I  hear  ?  Moses  certainly  saith 
that  this  Person  whom  the  children  of  Israel  tempted 
was  the  Lord  (Jehovah),  himself :  that  is,  the  One 
true  eternal  God :  as  he  saith,  Exod:  xvii.  2,  "  Where- 
fore do  ye  tempt  the  Lord?"  And  Numb.  xiv.  24, 
"  They  have  tempted  me  now  these  ten  times."  Here, 
when  Moaes  writes  that  hQ  whom  the  people  of  Israel 
•tempted  was  the  Lord  himself  (Jehovah)  how  can  the- 
same  be  Christ  (you  will  say)  whom  Paul  represents  as 
having  been  tempted  by  that  people  ?  Yet  it  miist  of 
necessity  be  that  both  of  them  speak  rightly  and  truly, 
and  that  the  one  agrees  with  the  other;  for  the  Holy 
Ghost  no  where  contradicts  himself. 

Here  then  it  is  established  by  a  certain  and  uxcoiit 
trovertible  conclusion;  that  this  Lord  who  broi^ht  the 
people  of  Israel  out  of  Egypt,  led  them  through  the  Red 
Sea,  ackd  conducted  them  through   the  desert,  going '. 
before  them  in  a  cloud  by  day,  and  a  pillar  of  fire  by- 
night;   who  fed  them  with  manna  from  heaven,  aud. 
w^rought  all  those  miracles  which  are  recorded  by  MoseS ;; 
and  who  gave  to  them   the  promise  of  the   land  of 
Caeaari,  and  appointed  for  them  their  political  economy^, 
their  kingdom^  and  their  priesthood; — it  is  established, 
I  say,  by  a  certain  and  incontrovertible  conclusion,  that- 
the  Lord  is  truly  none  other  than  our  Lord  Jesus  -of 
Nazareth,  who  was  bom  of  the  Virgin  Mary ;  whom  we 
Christians  call  and  >CQntes6  *to  be  our  Lord  add  G<od^' 
atfd  whom  the  Jews^  (who  nevecthetess  glory  in  th^ir-. 
origin,  because  oif  the  Messiah,)  once  ccmdemned  fiii4, 


9B0 

cmdSeA,  and  whom  even  to  tins  daw,  in  die  midst  tl 
their  aatcast  state,  ibey  most  awinlly  Uaspheme  aad 
cone;  as  Isaiah  prophesied  of  diem  d»t  they  would  do^ 
tmying,  that  in  the  midst  of  dieir  straits  and  calaniitiei; 
they  should  ^'  corse  their  King  and  dieir  God,  and 
looK  npward,"  Isaiah  viii.  8 1 . 

AiCD  IT  IS  moreover  certain,  that  it  was  this  God 
that  delivered  the  Tea  Commandments  to  Moses  on 
Moont  Sinai ;  in  which  he  said,  ^^  I  am  the  Lord  tby 
God,  which  brought  thee  out  of  the  land  ol  Egypt  Thoa 
shalt  have  no  other  gods  bat  me,"  Exod.  xx.  2,  S. 
Wherefore,  this  our  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  who  was  made  a 
victim  for  us  on  the  cross,  and  died,  is  that  same  God 
who  said  in  the  First  Commandment,  **  I  am  the  Lord 
thy  God,"  &c.  But  if  any  Jew  should  hear  this,  or  any 
Mahometan,  how  furiously  would  he  rage,  and  how 
would  he  foam,  and  exclaim  againt  it.  We  howev^ 
know,  that  diis  is  affirmed  rightly  and  truly,  and  will  be 
equally  true  through  all  eternity,  in  defiance  of  Satan 
and  the  gates  of  hell ;  -and  that  every  one  that  will  not 
believe  it  shall  be  compelled  to  tremble  at  it,  and  to 
bum  in  the  torments  of  hell  for  ever. 

For  here  again  Moses  is  ready  at  hand  as  a  witness, 
plainly  declaring,  that  all  things  were  made  by  Grod 
speaking ;  (that  is,  by  the  Logos  or  the  Word  of  God ;) 
and  so  is  David  also,  Psalm  xxxiii.  6,  ^'  By  the  Word 
of  the  Lord  were  the  heavens  made."  For,  if  the 
heavens  were  made  by  the  Word  or  Logos,  it  must  of 
necessity  be,  that  all  other  created  things  were  made  by 
the  same  Logos.  Because,  the  Creator  of  one  and  of 
all  creatures  is  the  same ;  and  he  who  did  not  make  all 
creatures,  could  not  make  one  creature. — Therefore, 
Moses  and  David  agree  with  John  and  Paul,  who  all, 
in  harmony  and  as  it  were  with  one  mouth,  say,  that  all 
things  were  created  and  made  by  the  Word,  or  by  the 
Son. 

Wherefore,  if  "  all  things  were  made  by  him,  and 
without  him  was  not  any  thing  made  that  was  made," 
as  all  these  four,  Moses,  David,  John,  and  Paul,  plaii^ 
testifyi  it  follows  of  necessity,  that  in  this  word  ^*  all,*" 


861 

'liich  they  use,  the  leading  of  the  people  of  Israel 
at  of  Egypt,  and  all  the  miracles  that  were  brought 
xna  above,  must  be  included  and  comprehended,  and 
annot  be  excepted;  nay,  eveiy  thing  that  was  ever 
lade  from  the  very  beginning  of  the  world,  or  that  shall 
e  made  from  henceforth  for  ever.  For  these  words  are 
ill  of  weight,  when  they  say, "  all  things  were  made  by 
lira ;''  or  when  Moses  says,  ^  God  said,  Let  it  be 
i^ade,  and  it  was  so.' 

And  although  Moses  does  not  express  the  name  of 
lie  Son  of  God,  or  write  Christ  in  those  very  letters 
ind  characters;  yet,  he  truly  expresses  and  confesses 
his  same  Logos,  or  Word  of  God  speaking,  by  whom 
ill.  things  were  made ;  wherein,  he  plainly  signines,  that 
Q  the  Godhead,  the  person  speaking,  (that  is,  whose 
be  Logos,  is,)  is  one ;  and  the  Person  who  is  the 
LfOGos,  or  the  Word  that  is  spoken,  is  another ;  and 
r^  thaJt  each  Person  is  the  One  eternal  Essence,  the 
creator  of  all  things.  For  as  to  the  more  clear  ex- 
)ression  of  these  high  things,  there  was  something  to 
«  left  for  that  wonderful  revelation  which  was  to  be 
nade  under  the  New  Testament,  where  this  mystery  was 
0  be  set  forth  more  clearly,  and  in  these  very  words 
hemselves :  that  is,  where  the  names  God  the  Father, 
be  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  were  to  be  expressed 
iainly  and  explicitly :  who  before,  in  the  scripture  of 
be  Old  Testament,  were  thus  designated — "  God  said," 
nd,  "  the  Word "  or  Logos,  and,  "  the  Spirit  of  the 
xiid." 

Therefore,  it  profits  nothing  either  to  the  Jews,  or 
le  Mahometans,  or  to  heretics,  diat,  with  a  great  show 
f  zeal  and  piety,  they  glory  against  us  Christians,  that 
ley  believe  in  the  One  God  the  Creator  of  heaven  and 
uth,  and  pay  him  that  greaiL  and  devoted  honour  of 
dling  him  Father.  For  all  such  honorary  appellations 
re  but^vain  and  idle  terms,  whereby  they  "  take  the 
ime  of  God  in  vain"  and  impiously  abuse  it,  contrary 
Kj^. Third  Commandment  And  thus,  is  verified  that 
bleb  Christ  declares  concerning  the  Jews  among 
bom  he  was  in  the  days  of  bia  flesh,  ^^  It  is  my  Father 


e^s 


\ 


"  •  •  •  •  > 

that  honoureth  me,  of  whom  ye  say  that  he  is  your 
God.  Yet  ye  have  not  known  him,"  John  viii.  54,  55. 
- — And  surely  it  is  no  very  honourable  testimony  which 
is  thus  left  concerning  them,  that  they  said  that  God 
was  their  Father,  and  yet  knew  not  who  he  was ! 

Thus,  if  thou  shouldst  meet  with  any  such  Jew, 
Mahometan,  or  heretic  as  this,  thus  pufFexi  up  with  a 
conceited  opinion  of  his  own  holiness,  and  shouldest  ask 
him  to  tell  thee  honestly,  whether  or  not  he  believed  in 
this  One  eternal  God  the  Creator  of  all  things,  whose 
name  he  worshipped  so  religiously  and  with  so  much 
veneration  as  even  to  call  him  Father,-^if  thou  shouldst 
ask  him,  I  say,  to  tell  thee  honestly,  whether  he  believed 
him  to  be  the  eternal  FatheV"  and  to  have  a  Son  apart 
from,  and  above,  all  creatures,  within  the  very  Godhead 
itself; — what  answer  supposest  thou  he  would  make 
thee  ?  He  would  burn  with  that  zeal  for  defending  bis 
own  piety,  and  would  be  so  thunderstruck  and  terrific, 
that  he  would  wonder  why  the  whole  fabric  of  the  world 
did  not  tremble,  together  with  himself,  at  thy  blas- 
phemies ! 

And,  if  thou  shouldst  still  proceed  to  ask  him, 
whether  he  believed  that  this  same  God  the  Creator  and 
Father  of  all,  (whom  they  with  a  lying  mouth  so  deno- 
minate,) was  truly  the  Son  born  of  the  Father  before  all 
worlds; — at  such  an  expression,  he  would  stop  his  ears, 
would  gnash  his  teeth,  and  would  fear  lest  the  earth 
should  open  to  swallow  up  both  thee  and  him  together! 
And,  if  thou  shouldst  go  on  farther  still  and  ask  him, 
whether  this  same  One  eternal  God,  Creator,  and 
Father,  (for  so  they  denominate  him,)  was  also  the^Holy 
Ghost,  who  is  the  Spirit  of  the  Fatfaier  a»4  of  the :>Sod, 
or  proceeding  from  both; — he  would  here  dunk  > it 
perilous  to  stabd  any  longer  before  thee,  and  would  ^^ee 
away  to  som0  secret  comer,  as  far  as  possible  out  of 
Ay  sight,  and  would  for  ever  after  avoid  thee  as  an 
exnissary  of  Satan  coming  from  the  lowest  hell ! 

Hence,  therefore,  it  is  sufficiently  manifest^  iiiat 
they  in  reality  ^^  know  not  God,^'  as  Christ  saith  --ttiid  diat 
they  know  noty  that  he  is  not  the  God  whom  th^  4SaU 


263 

(beir  God  and  Father;  and  therefore,  they  **  know  not 
what  they  say,  nor  whereof  they  affirm."  For,  if  God  be 
not  he  whom  the  scriptures  that  are  given  ua  from  above 
reveal  unto  us,  who  is  truly  and  naturally  Father,  and 
truly  and  naturally  Son,  from  each  of  whom  proceeds 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  yet  so,  that  these  Three  Persons 
are  the  same  One  undivided  Essence  ;• — then,  there  can 
be  truly  nothing  of  a  God  at  all,  there  can  be  no  God  ! 
And  hence  they,  as  far  as  it  concerns  their  religion,  are 
altogether  "  without  God :"  excepting  that,  they  impiously 
and  horribly  "abuse  the  name  of  God,  and  lughly  insult 
him,  and  falsely  dream  of  a  certain  God  as  their  God 
and  Creator,  who  is  their  Father,  and  of  whom  they  are 
the  sons .  While  they  are  at  the  very  same  time  robbing  God 
of  that  which  truly  and  properly  belongs  to  him  as  Father, 
or  to  his  paternal  nature,  that  is,  of  his  true  and  natural 
Son ;  and  are  robbing  both  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  which  is, 
in  reality,  taking  away  God  altogether,  and  leaving 
nothing  but  an  empty  dream,  and  the  falsely  fabricated 
tc^rms  of  God  the  Creator  and  Father.  Nay,  they  affix 
the  all-sacred  name  of  God  to  this  their  lie  or  self- 
imagined  idol,  that  is,  to  the  devil  himself;  who,  in 
reality,  is  their  god  and  father,  as  being  the  only 
father  and  maker  of  every  lie.  And  yet,  they  all  the 
while  boastingly  pride  themselves  upon  being  the  only 
true  and  dear  children  of  God,  the  elect  and  the  saints  ! 

.  We,  however,  know  it  to  be  sure  and  indubitable^ 
that  God  has  revealed  himself  by  the  most  signal  testi- 
monies, that  he  is  the  One  eternal  God  the  Creator 
and  maker  of  all  things  in  heaven  arid  in  earth ;  and 
that  he  the  s^me  One  Creator  and  Father  of  all  things 
that  are  created,  is  truly  and  naturally  the  eternal  Fiaither 
of  his  only  Son,  in  the  Godhead  itself.  Arid  again^-  that, 
in. :  this  same  Godhead,  the  same  God  the  Creator  and 
Ff^therof  all  things,  is  truly  and  naturaUy  the  one  eternal 
SoQ  of  the  eternal  Father.  And  finally,  that  the  siame 
God:  the  Creator  and  Father  of  all  things,;  is  the  Holy 
Ghost,  proceeding  from  the  Father  and  the  Son> « ana 
eoreteiHal  with  each.  F(»r  these  Three  di&tinct  Persons 
aft:  One  eWnal'  God^  the  Q^eatoriand  Father  of  all 


^64 

tiungB :  and  each  distinct  Person  is  truly  that  same  One 
eternal  God,  the  Creator  and  Father  of  the  whole  febric 
of  the  world. 

Wherefore,  if  under  this  confession  of  God,  and  in 
this  faith  thou  shouldst  offer  up  a  prayer,  and  shouldst 
direct  thy  petitions  unto  Christ  in  such  a  form  as  this, — 
*  I  call  on  thee,  O  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  thou  One  only 
eternal  and  living  God,  the  Creator  and  Father  of  us  all,' 
—thou  wouldst  have  no  cause  to  fear  that  thou  shouldst 
ffive  offence  either  to  the  Father  or  the  Holy  Ghost,  as 
Having  taken  any  thing  from  the  one  or  the  other  whidi 
was  his  own:  but  thou  mightest  rest  fully  satisfied  and 
assured,  that  thy  prayer  was  approved  of  God,  and  that 
the  whole  Godhead  acknowledged  it  and  gave  testimony 
unto  it;  and  that,  on  which  one  soever  of  the  Three 
Persons  thou  mightest  have  called,  thou  thereby  calledst 
on  alt  the  Persons,  and  so,  calledst  upon  the  One  God. 
For  no  one  of  the  Persons  can  be  addressed  without, 
apart  from,  or  separately  and  dividedly  from,  the  rest. 
Because  it  is  manifest,  that  the  divinity  of  all  the  Per- 
sons is  one  and  the  same  undivided,  unsundered  Essence, 
and  the  divinity  of  each  one  distinctly  also.  And  so,  on 
the  other  hand,  thou  canst  deny  and  insult  no  one  of 
the  Three  Persons,  without  denying  all  the  Three,  and 
so,  the  One  true  God  at  the  same  time :  as  it  is  written 
1  John  ii.  23,  "  Whosoever  denieth  the  Son,  the  same 
hath  not  the  Father." — ^Thus  then,  I  say,  in  calling  in 
such  a  manner  upon  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  thou  errest 
not  nor  doest  wrong.  For  so  also  the  church  singing 
concerning  the  Holy  Ghost,  thus  directs  her  prayer 
unto  him,  *  Come,  Father  of  the  poor,  &c.' 

But  however,  in  order  to  retain  the  simplicity  and 
propriety  of  the  doctrine  concerning  the  distinction  of 
persons,  and  to  follow  the  example  of  the  apostolic  form, 
and  of  that  general  custom  of  the  church  received  and 
mutilated-from  the  apostolic  form,  it  is  more  convenient 
to  follow  and  retain  that  order  or  series  wherein  the 
Persons  of  the  Godhead  are  mentioned;  and,  whenever 
we  would  offer  us  our  prayers  or  do  any  thing  in  the  way 
of  teaching  or  setting  forth  the  confession  of  our  faith. 


fl0S 

to  ibention;  firsrt,  (iy  tAiAe,  Ifte  porsott  itf  the  Faditr^ 
cording  to  that  form  which  Christ  lias^  hit-  ttB,  *  Om* 
jPatter  which  art  in  hea^ireD/  &c.     BecaaM}  this  person 
ife;  As  it  were,  die  fountain-spring 'atid  fottHtaii-heed  of 
the  ii^bity  (if  I  may  use  such  terms)  of  the  Son  and  of 
di6  Holy  Ghost.  And  therefore,  when  the  name ol  Qoi 
the  Father  is  mentioned,  the  Son  cannot  be  separated  Of 
feft^  out,  but  must  of  necessity  be  understood  as  mi^ 
dressed  by  name  at  the  same  time.    And  so  also  liie 
Holy  Ghost,  when  the  Father  and  the  Son  are  named^ 
ttust  of  necessity  be  understood  to  be  addressed  by 
name  atod  to  be  present  also.    For  no  one  of  the  How 
Perscms  in  the  Godhead  can  be  separated  froUk  the 
others,  nor  be  considered  apart  from  them  as  another 
God. 

And  hence,  we  find  the  apostles  Paul  and  Pet^  to 
speak  thus — "  Blessed  be  the  Gt>d  and  Father  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Father  of  all  mercies,  &c« 
Eph.  i.  S,  and  1  Pet.  i.  3.  And  Christ  feimself  eveiy 
whSSre^  in  hh  sermons  recorded  in  the  Gdspels,  €dwayg 
mentions  or  names  the  Father  before  himself,  a^  r^eH^ 
hunself  and  all  his  unto  him:  and  yet,  he  himself 
plainly  saith,  ^  that  men  are  to  honour  the  Son^  even  qs^ 
tJiey  honour  the  Father,'  John  v.  23.  And  ftpia  iaMb' 
he,  "  All  things  that  the  Father  hatfi  Are  mliiej-  Johti- 
xvi.  13.  And,  "What  things  soever  the  Father  ddf«h,- 
these  also  doeth  the  Son  likewise,"  John- v.  19.^  Thus 
making,  himself  in  all  divinity  equal  unto  this  f\ath^ : 
excepting  that,  he  would  have  it  to  be  understood,  that 
the  First  Person  in  the  Godhead  is  the  Fathier ;  and  that 
the  Son,  in  that  he  is  the  Son,  derives  that  firom'^the 
Father ;  but  that  the  Father  does  not  derive  what  Ifelfe 
firom  the  Son.  -   ^     -^-^ 

And  with  respect. to  what  is  said  cOncemiilg  the 
dtfierence  between  certain  sins ;  —  that  some  are  ptotfoh* 
lafly  said  to  be  committed  against  <jrod  the  ^Ffttt^, 
others  against  the  Son  of  .God,  and^  others  agaiinstthfe 
Holy  Gfipst  ;-^^this  respects^  tfie  manifestation  of ^Ihbse 
particular  Persons ;  but  there  is  not  thereby,  any '  dlvi- 

VOL.  IT.  T 


966 


fioo  to  be  unckntood  as  iwW  of  die  Godliead  or  of 
ite/eMeiice  of  God* 

llitiB,  when  the  Sod  of  God,  die  Lord  of  ^ory,  is 
mid  to  be  crucified ;  or,  when  the  Uood^if  die  Soo  of 
God  is  said  to  be  trampled  under  foot,  or  to  be  denied, 
ftc  these  sins  are  ri^dy  and  properly  said  to  be  com- 
■litted  against  the  Person  of  the  Son,  who  manifested 
himself  1^  assuming  the  human  nature ;  in  which,  be 
suffered,  died,  rose  ag^n,  and  now  reigns  for  ever  and 
^er« 

And  so  B&in,  when  Christ  saith,  '^  the  blasphemy 
against  the  Holy  Ghost  shall  not  be  forj^ven,"  it  is 
said  paAicularly  in  reference  to  blasphemy  against  the 
doctrine  that  is  revealed  clearly  and  with  the  most  ma- 
nifest testimonies,  by  the  Holy  Ghost ;  for  those  adver- 
^saries  themselves  feel  that  they  are  all  the  while  con- 
vinced by  the  most  manifest  truth. — As  diis  revelation, 
J  say,  is  properly  ascribed  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  it  is 
riflditly .  said  that  the  blasphemy  is  against  the  Holy 
G  host ; .  because  even  when  the  truth  of  the  doctrine  is 
acknowledged,  it  is  yet  obstinately  and  furiously  contra- 
dicted. £ven  as  the  sin  is  rightly  said  to  be  committed 
against  the  Son,  when  his  person  is  injured,  in  which 
the  human  nature  is  united  with  the  divine.  But  we 
have  spoken  something  to  diis  point  before,  and  more  is 
frequently  said  elsewhere. 

But  what  shall  we  have  to  reply  when  Johu  thus 

§008  on  to  write  farther  concerning  the  Son  of  God  or 
lie  Logos,  "  And  the  (Logos  or  the)  Word  was  made 
flesh  ?  "  Surely  this  does  pot  agree  (one  might  say)  widi 
tjhose  words  of  Moses  concerning  the  Logos  or  the 
Word,  "  And  God  said,  Let  there  be  light; "  nor,  with 
diat  of  David,  "  By  the  Word  of  the  Lord  were  the 
heavens  made,''  &c.  Surely  the  same  Moses,  or  rather 
the  Son  of  God,  the  Logos  himself,  (who  revealed  him- 
SjBlf  mito  Moses  and  who  was  the  leader  of  the  people 
of  Israel,  as  Paul  saith  1  Cor.  x.)  when  he  spoke  from 
Mouilii  Sinai  severely  forbad  that  any  image  or  likeness  of 
him  should  be  framed  from  any  thing  that  is  in  heaven 


N^Z 


S67 

or  ^acth !  AAd  yet  John  llere/does  not  only-  (note  an 
image  or  likeness,  but  makes  the  Son  of  Grod  to  be  truly 
a  creature  and  man,  when  he  says,  ^^The  Word  was 
niade  fieshi'^  And  Paul  also  does  not  hesitate  to  say, 
that  this  Son  of  God  is  the  Son  or  the  seed  of  David, 
and  was  ^^  made  of  the  seed  of  Da;v«d>^  Rom.  i.  3.  And 
again,  Gal.  iv.  4,  he  saith,  '^  God  sent  forth  his  Son 
;Xiiade  of  a  woman,"  &c.  It  must  of  necessity  be,  then, 
<one  might  say)  that  Moses  tnust  be  understood  as 
speaking  of  some  other  Word,  by  which  all  things  were 
made :  for  nothing  can  be  created  by  a  man,  'whd  is  by 
nature,  a  jcreaiture  himself.  And  then  again,  do  not  John 
and  Pftal  contradict  each  other  when  thiey  affirm  that 
the  Son  of  God  was  Man,  and  yet  say  that  all  things 
w6De:made  by  himS^— 

•  •;  - .  •    .     •  ■  r »  ■ 

then  come,  let  us  see  whether  Moseis 
will  not  willingly  present  himself  before  us 
testifying  the  same  things  as  John  and  Paul  ?  For, 
recording.  Gen.  iii.  15,  the  first  promise  that  was  made  to 
man  after  the  fall,  he  saith,  that  God  said  unto  the 
serpent. 

And  I  will  put  enmity  between  thee  and  the.  womaHy 
end  between  thy  seed  and  her  seed:  it  shall  bruise  thy 
head,  and  thou  shalt  bruise  his  heel. 

■  ^  '    ■ 

It  is  evident  first  of  all,  that  God,  (when  the 
"  serpent "  is  spoken  of)  is  not  here  speaking  concern- 
ing any  living  creature  that  creeps  in  the  grass,  or  that 
feeds  upon  frogs  or  any  other  such  creature  of  the  marsh, 
whk^h  we  call  a  snake  or  a  scorpion,  butconceming  that 
serpent  which  was  then  the  most  beai^ftil  among .  the 
living  creatures,  in  which  there  was  an  excellent  spirit ; 
and  which  not  only  had  the  faculty  of  speech,  bdt  also 
knew  how  to  dispute  artfully  concerning  the  great(ei9t 
matters,  that  is,  concerning  the  divine  will  ajod  Ibe 
command  of  God;  displaying  a  wiadom  appa,r^^y 
divine  and  given  from  heaven,  (things  that  certainly  lEUe 
given  to  none  but  to  the  angelic  or  human  nature;) 
and  which  indeed  could  so  dispute^  as  easily  to  g^t  the 

T  g 


888 

mcmdmcy  mdt  m^n  liiisMtf,  and  to  bring  him  into 
Mb  bwh  Dj)itiien,  who,  tievertlieless  was  enltghten^ 
with  the  knowledge  of  God  as  revealed  by  himself ; 
and  "Vf^hieh  also, '  having  under  a  specious  shew  of  truth, 
iiid  uhder  eover  of  the  name  of  God$  thus  deprived 
iman  df.hist* right  mind,  could  drive  him  headlong  into 
«in  and  eternal  death. 

i  It  is  not  therefore  a  common  reptile  snake  of  the 

'ground  which  devours  fro^  that  is  here  intended,  but 

tffie'  4mt  could  devour  the  Whole  human  race  at  one 

A^bening  of  his  mouth :  namely,  it  is  the  very  enemy  of 

the  Son  of  God,  the  devil,  whb  f^ke  in  the  serpent, 

taiid  who  by  sin  brought  ^th  into  the  wbrld.  It  is  con- 

eeming  this  dreadful^  muttlerdr,  this  author  and  framer 

of  sin,  and  this  destroyer  of  die  hmnan  race  that  God 

saith,  his  head  shall  be  bruised;  that  is,  his  power;  that 

Js,  ttmtddd;th  shall  be  destroyckl,  and  life  and  righteous- 

'ttess^restoned.   And  he  saith  that  this  shall  be  done  by 

cthe  Sked  of  the  woman. — ^That,  as  it  was  by  thewcnn&ii, 

<diade  Irom  the  man  without  a  mother,  that  tiie  devil 

■jdfove  the  human  race  headlong  into  this  miseraUe  fiedt; 

so,  this  Seed  of  the  woman,  bom  without  a  man,  should 

again  bruise  the  head  of  the  same  devil ! 

This  Seed  of  the  woman,  therefore,  must  of  necessity 

be  truly  man,  a  male  offspring  bom  of  a  woman.    For 

by  the  term  human  seedy  according  to  the  phraseology 

'^f  tll(^  prophetic  scriptures,  it  is  evident  that  nothing 

iflse 'fe  "Signified  than  the  race  or  offspring  proceeding 

^fronfi  man.  But  there  is  in  this  place  this  particular  to  be 

.liotiGed—Aat  this  offspring  or  this  man  is  called  the 

^W*/^  the>Wtf»i^  otherwise,  the  term  ^^seed," 

J^iJHvays  gigtfffi^s  the  seed  of  the  man  or  of  the  father; 

that  is,  the  race  proceeding'  from  the  man  or  the  father; 

as,-  'Ae  "  seed  of  Abfeham,"  the  "seed  of  David;" 

*«tid  80  aliJo  every  where  in  the  prophetic  scripture  it 

'>(k^snifie&  the  seed  or  offspring  of  the  man. — Therefore, 

flk^is^'in  this  place;  fully  harmonizing  with  Luke  and 

'M^AAn^,' plainly  signifies,  that  this  woman  or  mother 

'  WotiW^b^W^;rtrgin,  who,  without  any  male  seed,  would  be 

ifaeittotlier  of  her'bwn  seed,  or  son.  And,  as  this  mean- 


ii^  hiUiifmiaeB  wkbthe  ti^toKe  viidiiga;  <rft  tjhsr^NMt 
TesliliMil^  let  us  who  :ih^  €brii»tians  ftdvM  noiDtbglr} 
acc(HK]i«g  lo  the  ^  mk'  abo?^  laid  dbwik  •>  ^  ^  n; 
In  a  woiri  theii^  it'  j»  ckwr,  thtA  this  Seed  ^ef  lUl 
womaiib  is  ti^ly  md  Mtundly  loan. — And  toir,  jli  ii 
equally  certain,  that  th6.  sw^ie  mtist  neoe^aairily  ds6<iid 
truly  uid  natiMaUy  God:  twr  i£  H  b^  aot  so^  tbfaii  we 
post  coasider  Mose$  to  be^  oM  fii  true  and  feilhfid 
piophet  of  God^  but  a  lyiog  and  iddattous  praphel  of 
Satan,  for  ascritHi^  to  this  Seed  that  power  and  BiigbC 
which  belcmg  to  God  only :  namely,  that ,  he  shoiiU 
destioy  death  in  the  hijiman  race  and  him  that  had  drib 
power  of  d^th,  and  so,  take  away  sin  and  the  wradi;  of 
Grod  also  and  bring  in  righteousness  and  life. — And 
this  certainly,  no  one  angel  of  heaven,  nor  all  the  angeb 
in  heaven  together,  can  effect :  but  it  must  of  necessi^ 
be  a  Person  greater,  higher,  and  more  powerfiil  than  att 
angels  and  creatures  t(^ther.  Ai^xtly,  tfaetefore,  do 
I  affirm  and  repeat,  that  Moses  is  to  be  held  m 
idolatrous,  damnable,  and  accursed  prophet  and  teache<v 
if  he  ascribed  the  might  and  power  of  abolishing  sin  and 
death,  and,  after  these  are  destroyed,  of  restoring  righ^ 
ousness  and  life,  to  die  seed  of  a  woman,  which  is 
nothing  hat  a  mere  creature,  and  not  tibe  One  only  God 
who  alone  is  the  reviver,  or  ^ver  and  author  of  Ufe ;  as 
John  saith  chap.  i.  4,  concerning  the  Son  of  God  or  tht 
Logos,  ^^  In  him  was  life,"  &c.-^Fer  this  also  must  ^ 
necessity  follow,  even  in  tli^  judgment  and  confession  of 
human  reason,  that,  he  that  has  the  power  of  abolishini| 
death  and  trampling  it  under  foot,  has  also  the  power  m 
restoring  life ;  because,  taking  away  death-,  is,  in  realil^^ 
nothing  more  or  less  than  restoring  the  lifc^  that  is  Itet  ( 
and  the  abolishing  of  sin,  is  the  very  restoration  of 
righteousness;  from  the  possession  of  which,  the  sdr^ 
pent,  or  rather  the  devil  throu^  the  instrumentali^  ^ 
the  serpent,  cast  out  as  it  were  our  first  parents  tc^thdr 
with  sdl  the  human  race  their  posterity,  and,  havili^ 
ensnared  them  by  a  lie,  drove  them  into  the  evil  of  Bin 
and  to  eternal  death ;  as  the  vcnoe  of  the  divine  coiti^ 
mand  {dainly  declares,   ^  In  the  day  that  tboa  eatest  ^ 


«7e 

the  tTMy  diou  shall  die  by  death/  Bat  4iere,  on  the  ctm^ 
trary,  that  liar  and  niurderer  daid,  ^  Do  ye  really  thiDk, 
then,  that  this  prohibition  is  put  npoii  you  in  earneit, 
diot  ye  mi^t  not  eat  of  the  tree !  No !  For  if  ye  do  eat 
of  it,  ye  diall  be  so  far  from  dying,  that  ye  shall  be  as 
God,  kniiwing  all  good  and  evil/ 

All  these  things,  then,  as  I  have  said,  were  i^keii 
expiesdy  concerning  sin  and  death,  which  this  serpent 
bron^t  upon  the  human  race.  And  therefore,  by  these 
words  of  this  promise  concerning  bruising  the  head  of 
the  serpenty  nothing  more  or  less  is  to  be  understood, 
than  that  the  works  and  power-  of  the  devil,  that  is, 
sin  and  death,  should  be  destroyed  and  abolished  :  even 
as  Paul  saith  that  Christ  "  hath  abolished  death,  and 
hath  brought  life  and  immortality  to  light  through  the 
Gospel,"  2  Tim.  i.  10.  And  what  the  Jews  or  Maho- 
metans may  here  prate  with  their  patched  up  interpreta- 
tions, is  nothing  to  us.  We  are  firmly  persuaded,  that 
Moses  in  this  place  agrees  with  the  scripture  of  the 
New  Testament. 

And  moreover,  that  our  first  parents  Adam  and 
^Eve  themselves  understood  this  promise,  (that  the  Seed 
of  the  woman  should  bruise  the  head  of  the  serpent),  in 
the  same  manner,  is  without  a  doubt.    And  it  appears 
fully  evident  from  the  very  Jiistory  contained  in  Gen.  iv., 
that  Eve,  after  she  had  brought  forth  her  son  Cain, 
thought  that  he,  because  he  was  the  first  that  was  bom 
of  woman,  would  be  the  most  excellent  arid  ^especial 
flower  of  the  whole  human  race.    And  thereforer  she 
hoped  that  he,  the  same,  would  be  that  promised  Seed, 
and  that  she  was  to  be  the  mother  or  woman,  of  whom 
that  Seed  should  be.    And  hence,  in  the  midst  of  so 
great  a  hope,  and  of  her  joy  at  the  son  that  was  bom, 
she  says,  *  I  have,  or  I  have  gotten,  and  now  have,  a 
man  [who  is]  the  Lord  (Jehovah).'    As  though  she 
had  said,  ^  This  [Son]  will  without  doubt  be  that  very 
Lord,  concerning  whom  God  spoke  unto  us  ;  and  whom 
we  believe  is  to  be,  according  to  the  promise,  the  "seed 
of  the  woman ; '  "  that  is,  she  thus  spoke,  calling  this  son, 
pr  male  child,  or  man,  the  Lord  himself,  or  God. 


87t 

For,  IB  this  passiige,  that  one  pecuUlur  proper  mom 
of  God,  JEHOVAH,  is  plainly  written;  which i  thejr 
otherwise  term  the  ietragramfnatan,  and  which  is  ap^ 
plied  to  no  other,  and  'Signifies  no  othw^  than  God 
alone,  br^the  essence  of  God.-  And  the  other  term 
IscH,  that  is,  mdn,  wheft  put  absolutely  and  by  it^f, 
without  reference  to  woniaB,i  is  not  a  term*  that  distin- 
guishes  the  one  sex  from  the  other '  <MiLy, '  as  when  aU 
persons  of  the  male  sex  are  called  men ;  but,  it  signifies 
some  excellent  num  conspicuous  among  many ;  just  als 
we,  from  the  term  man  ft;/r,;  say  excellence  in  man 
(virtus);  and,  from  excellence  in  man  (virtus^)  say  man 
(vir),  when  we  would  signify  that  such  an  one  was,  or 
would  be,  a  great  man. 

So,  in  this  passage.  Eve  thus  blesses  herself — *  Wow 
God,  according  to  his  promise,  has  made  me  a  mother. 
I  have  now  brought  forth  a  son.  This  son  shall  he,  yea, 
this  son  is,  that  man,  [who  is]  the  Lord  God;  who 
shall  bruise  the  head  of  the  serpent,  according  to  that 
promise  given  us  from  above.'  Otherwise,  how  could  it 
possibly  be,  that  it  should  come  into  her  mind  to  say 
any  such  thing  as  this  concerning  her  son  that  was  just 
bom—"  I  have  gotten  a  man,  the  Lord,"  if  she  had 
not  fully  understood  from  the  promise  concerning  the 
Seed,  that  he  who  should  accomplish  what  God  had 
promised,  (that  is,  bruise  the  serpent's  head,)  should  be 
truly  God? 

Nor  did  she  alone  understand  this  promise  thus. 
For  Adam  had  without  doubt  pondered  it  over  with  her 
long  before,  and  talked  with  her  about  it ;  and  both  of 
them  had  dwelt  upon  the  promise  often  and  with  pious 
meditation,  and  had  mutually  comforted  each  other 
against  those  most  distressing  senses  of  sin  and  death ; 
both  of  which  this  promised  seed  was  to  abolish,  and, 
having  taken  them  out  of  the  way,  was  to  restore  right- 
eousness aiid  life :  for,  if  they  had  not  supported  them- 
selves by  this  consolation  during  the  whole  time  of  their 
life,  they  must  soon  have  be^  oppressed  and  swallowed 
up  with  despair. 

And  since  God  did  not  wish  nor  ever  permit  his 


jpMoiaBii' d|iiob  ua  revedM  in'  dKrelottdttwcmfi^  (as 
f^  fii8tl|m)miee  also.traB  deUvend  tcrrtben^)  U  le 
iqadeikMihi  tOiAo  purpofiieBiHl  withoiit  pfofit^  cnr-tobe 
iip6kenntb  ^Iwinds  wkliout  beii^  miderstood)  {m^k 
JBimrriUdBL  katah  It.  U^  f'  The  woid  OmA  gpeth  farik 
ilbtpi^y  moudi^  shsil  not  retam  onto  me  v(^  bofe^ft 
4iiafiMCtfxMnplBBh  thai  whidi:-!'  please^  and!  it  dbaU 
l^itoaper.  in  thething  whereanto  I  sent  k; ")  dnd  i^inoe 
ibere  .w^e  in  the  beginniiig  only  these  two  of  die 
faiilBan  mee  who  could  hear  this  promise  and  understaiid 
at)  dt  was  aiecessary  that  it  should  be  imderatood  by 
iihem  rightly i->inily,  and  savingly,  and  altogether  jilst'ite 
Are  Christians  understand  it  now,  and  as  me  patriarchs 
and  prophets  understood  it  long  b^ore  us. 

But  the  pious,  yet  poor  miserable  mother,  Eve, 
erred  in  this.-r-Ia  thmking  that  she  should  be,  and  now 
«wi^,  when  her  son  Cain  was  borii,  the  mother  of  this 
promised  Seed,  seemg  that  there  was  no  other  mother 
ilVfaig' : ,  and  because,  from  her  ardent  desire,  and  febrebt 
iloJE^iiig,  she  hoped  that  this  son  of  hers  would  be  that 
jsromised.  seed^  and  that  man,  Jehovah^^ — Because, 
those  hdpds  of  heis  were  premature,  and  her  joy  was 
hasty  aiid  ptesuinptiious :  and  yet,  her  dei^b^s  found 
Lf>ardon,  yea,  even  &vour,  as  she  desired  i^o  fervently  to 
be  delivered   from  sin  and  death,  that  is,  from  the 
:^wer  of,  the  devil.     But  God  had  not  said  to  her, 
*  Thy  seed  (and  particularly  the  first-bom)  shall  brufae 
.the  serpent's  head.'.   Nor  had  he  said  to  Adam,  *  The 
-sded  oithy  woman,  or  of /%  wife,  shall  do  this.' — But, 
afiti^  he  had  pronounced,  first,  the  terrible  and  sorrowfiil 
isenteiiee'oh  Adam  and  Eve,  (the  weight  bf  which  all  the 
.Mce  of  nsen  n&w  experiebce^  and  will  do  so  even  unto 
the  end  >of  the  world,)  he  th^  'turned  the  cutse  toward 
idle  ^erjient,  atid  said,  ^  Becku^  thou  hast  £rom  horriUe 
hatred. cif  one,  burtbened  the  hutnan  rabe  with  sin  ^ind 
dedhywho  were  orealed  by  me  without  sin,  and  hast 
inddethein  slaves  tmto;  thee';  I  therefore  will  raise  up 
OBR  but  of  the  human  rao^4»nevthat  shall  be  the  Seed'  of 
the  woman,  who  shall  bruise  thy  head.   Thus,  I  will 
:Afet]liwi6 Jhee  a  pioud,  powerful,  malicious  spirit,  hy  the 


[ 


9!f9t 

son  of  man ;  that  t^u  in*  turti  shadl  be  over^me  aad 
trodden  under  foot  by  the  human  race^  even  as  nofw  dhia 
misera^ble  human  nature  has  been  overcome  by  thee/-^ 
And  this  treadkig  usider  foot  our  hord  Jesus  Christ  han 
ahready  begun  and  has  accomplished,  and  still  goes  on. fo 
accompli^,  and  still  wiU  go  on  to  accomplish  unto  the 
(md ;  who  is,  with  God  the  Father,  the  same  Lord  or 
Jehoyi^ !  Amen- ! 

,    I , 

13  UT  with  regard  to  tlus  text  of  Gei^esis,  some 

one  will  perhaps  say — How  comes  all  this  I 

tihat  even  unto  this  time  no  commentator  before,  either 

among  Christians  or  among  Jews,  saw  this  to  be  the 

meaning  of  the  passage  ?  For  all  thcf  versions  that  are 

extant  read  it  quite  otherwise.  Atid  our  Common  ver- 

•sion  has  ity  "  I  have  possessed  a  man  by  [the  help  of] 

God."   And  othe^  Hebraists  commonly  render  it  thus, 

*  I  have  obtained,  or  gotten,  a  maQ  from  God,  or,  by 

[the  help  of}  God.' — Here  I  answer,  firfet  of  all,  that  I 

pay  no  regard  to  all  this :  for  I  declared  it  at  the  very 

outset  to  be  my  determination,  not  to  have  any  thing  to 

do  with  other  guides,  but  to  give  my  own  opinion  cottr 

cerning  the  true  meaning  of  the  original :  and  if  tkds 

shall  not  please  others,  yet,  I  shall  have  this  satisfaction 

that  it  pleases  myself ! 

But^  that  I  may  make  some  reply  concerning  thf 

passage  in  question,  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  seek 

such   information  with  a  good  intent  and  to  profijb 

thereby ,r-*there  is  in  this  passage  the  Hebrew  partidle 

£Th;  which,  as  those  who  have  even  the  slightest  know^ 

ledge  of,  or  acquaintance  with,  the  Hebrew,  well  know  i^ 

an  article ;  which  we  in  our  vernacular  language  render 

by  an  aoSusative  case,  eithei'  in  the  masculine  pr  femif 

nine  gender;  and  which  the  Greeks  also  e^presi^.by 

TfK  and  rvfi.   As  when  Moses  says  at  the  banning  of  }^ 

.fiooks^  ^'  In  the  beginning  God  cheated  the  heaven  ja94 

the  earth:"  which  is,  in  the  Hebi^ew,  ETb  hasomai|i|[ 

1ir££TH  HAAREz :  and  which,  in  the  Greek  or  Gerlnaii, 

by  thefvefixing  of  the  article,  is  rendered  E\afxn^^m<'^ 

i  9€h  rh\wim6v  xoi  t^  yi^v :  wd  it  ia  tender^  in  JtH^ 


974 

same  way  universally.  As  it  is  ako  id  tliis  and  die 
following  chapters ;  when  it  is  said,  ^'  And  Ackun  knew 
his  wife/'  tV  yv)MUKa  avrw.  Again,  and,  Eye  bron^t  forth 
£TU  Cain,  roy  ISmv.  And  again,  she  Inronght  forth  eth 
Abel,  Toy  Kfi^K  And  again,  Adam  begat  eth  Seth,  -m 
Yffft.  And  Seth  begat  eth  Ekos,  rw  Ew»r.  And  so  on 
throu^out  the  whole  chapter. — And  it  is  exactly  in  die 
same  manner  that  Eve  saith  in  this  place,  when  she  had 
brought  forth  her  son  Cain,  Canithi  isch  eth  Jeho- 
vah, "I  have  gotten  a  man,  [who  is]  the  Lord,'' m 
Kvpiov.  Because,  as  I  said,  she  had  conceived  a  hope, 
that  this  Cain  would  be  that  Seed  promised  of  God,  who 
should  bruise  the  serpent's  head. 

Nor  have  I  the  least  doubt,  that  those  most  aban- 
doned of  all  men  the  Jews  who  nailed  Christ  to  the 
cross,  nay,  that  even  men  who  are  worse  than  those,  (for 
such  there  alfe,  who  even  now  would  crucify  Christ  more 
cruelly  than  their  forefathers, — I  mean  that  scum  of  the 
Jewish  race  who  are  now  mingled  with  the  Turks  at 
Buda  in  Hungary,  concerning  whom  we  have  lately  been 
informed,  that,  joining  with  those  Turks,  they  have,  for 
the  sake  of  mockery  and  insult,  carried  about  for  pub- 
lick  sport  a  cat  or  kitten  fixed  to  a  cross,)  even  those 
deplorable  murderers  and  tormentors  of  cats  and  kittens, 
I  say,  would,  if  their  minds  could  be  brought  to  believe 
the  scripture,  or  even  if,  destitute  of  all  faith  as  they  are, 
they  could  be  brought  to  declare  and  plainly  to  confess 
the  truth  as  it  appears  upon  the  face  of  the  plain  mean- 
ing of  the  scriptures,  even  those,  I  repeat,  would  cer- 
tainly make  this  confession — *  Even  though  we  hold  you 
accursed,  yet  we  confess,  (if  what  you  maintain  could  be 
true,  that  the  seed  of  the  woman  is  truly  God  and  man,) 
that  it  cannot  be  denied  that  this  text  exactly  accords 
with  such  a  meaning,  when  Eve  says  ^  I  have  gotten  the 
very  man,  [who  is]  Jehovah,  or  the  Lord/     For  it  must 
be  confessed  that  with  respect  to  these  words  themselves, 
they  do,  without  offending  or  violating  any  grammar- 
tied  construction,  naturally  give  that  meaning.    And, 
when  they  now,  as  they  do,  give  a  different  meaning  to 
these  words,  ^  I  have  gotten  a  man  iy  [means  of]  the 


97S 

Lord/  or,  */ram  the  Lord/  or,  *  fnf  [the  kelp  of]  the 
Lord/  it  is  violently  forced  and  wrested,  and  conveys  ct 
something  wholly  foreign  to  the  nature,  phraseology,  and 
genius  of  the  language.' — ^This  confession,  I  say,  the  Jews 
tfiemselves  even  the  very  worst  of  them  would  make,  if 
Aey  could  be  brought  to  give  such  a  testimony,  and  to 
declare  plainly  the  conviction  which  they  feel  in  their 
hearts.  But  now,  as  they  execrate  this  article, — ^that 
God  took  upon  him  human  nature  from  a  woman,  they 
oppose  this  text  and  the  whole  scripture,  and  do  violence 
to  the  plainest  words  by  their  forced  interpretations. 

And  the  same  confession  also  all  other  Hebraists 
would  be  forced  to  make,  if  they  would  rightly  consider 
this  text  and  candidly  declare  what  they  felt ;  and  espe- 
cially, if  they  could  be  brought  to  believe  that  this  Seed 
of  the  woman  is  the  Lord  (Jehovah);  that  is,  truly 
God  and  Man.     For,  that  the  Hebrew  particle  eth,  is 
a  sign  of  that  case  which  we  call  the  accusative,  signify- 
ing hunc  or  hanCj  is  confessed,  and  that,  without  any 
doubting,  by  all  Jews   and  Christians  who  have  the 
slightest  knowledge  of  the  grammatical  construction  of 
the  Hebrew.     But  that  the  same  particle  signifies  also 
by  (ab)y  or  from  (de)  or  with  {cum,)  has  never   been 
proved  by  any  one,  or  by  any  arguments  or  authorities, 
nor  ever  will  be.     For  as  to  their  bringing  examples  out 
of  the  Rabbi  Kimhi,  or  out  of  some  particular  passages 
in  the  scriptures  where  this  particle  seems  to  be  so  used 
that  we  cannot  render  it  without  a  preposition,  as  in  that 
passage  "  the  Lord  was  eth  Joseph,"  Gen.  xxxix.'S  and 
81, — concerning  such  passages,  we  may  answer  wdth 
readiness  and  truth,  which  they  also  cannot  deny,  that 
the  native  phraseology  of  the  Hebrew  language,  has  not 
been  clearly  discovered  even  unto  this  day,  and  that  they 
themselves  are  ignorant  of  the  force  and  signification  of 
many  Hebrew  words,  as  fact  and  experience  fully  prove : 
so  far  is  it  firom  possibility,  that  they  should  know  the 
force  of  any  particular  phrase,  Jigure,  or  idiom.     And  it 
is  evident  that  they  sport  their  fabricated  equivocations 
upon  certain  words  and  constructions,  where  there  is  no 
necessity  for  it  whatever ;  doubting,  hesitating,  and  com- 


876  I 

plainiiiig,  juat  lil^e  imy  unskilfiil  player  qp^  a&  hutik.  b 
mmU  "^ho  ^i^  ^^^  ^^  same  strings  a^tin  and  agj^*^  i 
complaining  and  attempting,  to  see  what  sounds  ikflur 
ivill  give,  and  wanting  diose  sounds  to  be  consid^^ 
measure  and  harmony. 

Moreover,  as,  with  respect  to  the  Latin  lan^ 
all  who  are  acquainted  with  that  language,  or  who 
its  mode  of  expression,  will  confess,  that  it  is  one 
to  speak  Latin  idiomatically,  and  another  to  speak 
grammatically ;  so,  in  the  Hebrew  languagie,  there  m 
wide  difference  between  speaking  it  Hebraically, 
speaking  it  grammatically. — ^That  the  Jews  know  how 
speak  it  grammatically,  I  would  grant:  (though 
cannot  even  do  that  well,  for  they  frequently  err, 
especially  so  in  the  very  names  of  things :)  but,  that 
should  speak  it  Hebraically,  purely,  properly,  and  accoi 
ing  to  the  native  phraseology  of  the  ancient  tonguei 
that  I  consider,  now  the  vernacular  use  of  the  lang 
is  lost,  to  be  impossible.     Fpr  it  is  certain,  that  ev< 
language  can  be  much  more  ccM'rectiy  and  genuini^ 
learnt  from  domestic  use  and  the  daily  conversatioOiki 
families,  and  from  public  places,  conventions,  ciroMl} 
and  assemblies,  where  men  use  the  vernacular  langua^^ 
than  from  writings  and  books  only ;  which  are,  for  t^ 
reasoji,  rightly  called  dumb  masters.     For  writings  aK 
nothing  more  than  dead  words,  but  vocal  conversa- 
tions are  living  expressions ;  the  import  of  which  cimnot 
be  so  properly,  significantly,  and    fully  conveyed  in 
writing,  as  by  the  very   enunciation  and   feelings  ^f 
the  person   who  is  speaking;  (as   Hieronymus  jua% 
observes  concerning  Demostiienes  and  iEschines  and 
also  Livy ;)  for  the  living. voice  carries  with  it  a  sort  of 
secret  energy. 

And  that  which  some  of  the  grammarians  fabrio^, 
.is  utterly  to.be  rejected  as  unsupported  either  by  r^as^ 
or  proof, — that  the  particle,'XTH  here  has  the  signifiqi^- 
tion  of  the  prepositions /row  =(«)  of{de)  oriy  (flo);  for 
they  would  render  the  passage  thus,  "  I  have  gottm,  or 
I  have  obtained,  a  man  from  God."  And  as  to  the  ex- 
amples which  they  bring  forward  out  of  Geq.  xliv.  ^  a«4 


*^.ix.,  when  they  were  gone  oat  of -the  citi^  (eth 
^),'*  it  is  manifest  that  it  is  rightly  rendered^  Sgfesitil 
urbe;  as  it  is  atso  in  other  places.  And;  with 
;t  to  that  passage  Gen.  v.  28,  and  vi.  9j  "  Enoch 
with  God,"  ETH  Deumj  and,  "  Noah  walked* 
Grod ;"  they  interpret  those  passages  thus,  ^'walkefd 
God,  cum  Deo  ;  - '  which  also  is  absurd  and  with- 
any  sense.  For,  where,  or  on  what  road,  are  thqf 
be  understood  as  having  walked  with  God  as  compa- 
DDs  ? — ^Toward  the  east  or  toward  the  west !  But,  it  is 
fhdy  rendered  and  expressed  by  an  accusative  ^^  walked 
od,  ambulavit  Dewn^  In  the  same  manner  as  the 
itins,  in  imitation  of  the  Greeks,  say.  He  lived  a  Sar- 
mapulus,  vixit  Sardanapulum.  And  again.  Who  pre- 
&d  Curiuses,  but  live  Bacchanals,"*^  qui  Curios  simulant 
Bacchanalia  vivunt.  He  put  off  the  father,  exuit 
Urem,  &c. — So,  Noah  ^  walked  God  :'  that  is,  in  th* 
wm  oif  Gtxi :  or,  ha  lived  a  divine  life :  he  wrought  atid 
id  "  the  works  of  God."  And  Paul  also  speaks  in  th^ 
Boeway  Gal.  i.  10,  "For  do  I  now  persuade  men,  or 
lod  ?"  that  is,  do  I  teach  human  things,  or  divine  ?  And 
fl^ain,  ii.  20,  "  What  I  now  live — I  live  by  the  faith.*' 
md  again,  Rom.  vi.  10,  "  In  that  he  liveth  he  liveth 
Dto  God."  And  so  again,  1  Pet.  iv.  6. — ^Tliese  obser- 
ations,  &c.  I  commend  to  those  who  are  desirous  of 
ttowing  the  Hebrew,  that  they  may  consider  them  and 
adg^  concerning  them. ' 

And  there  is  that  also  Gen.  xxxix.  3,  "  And  the  Lord 
fas  with  Joseph,"  which  we  cannot  conveniently  render 
dierwise  than  by  a  preposition,  "  was  M;f^A  Joseph,"  erat 
urn  Josqph;  but  we  do  not  by  such  a  rendering  convey 
be  force  of  the  Hebrew  accusative,  which  in  the  Hebrew 
5xt  is  the  same  here  as  every  where  else ;  and  the  ex- 
rression:  is,  in  its  form,  something  like  that  when  we  say, 
0  be  for  Caesar,  esse  a  Casare;  that  is,  to  be  a 
i8Bsariaxi. 


*  It  msi  be  obienred,  that  the  Latin  examples  here  adduced  are  thus 

ridet^d  in  the  most  strictly  liberal  way,  in  .conformity  with  the  desiffii 
Luther ;  who  adduces  them  to  exemplify  the  nature  and  force  of  the 
Mteew  expiessiOD*  to  which  Ihey  are  exactly  similar. 


t  ^t  I  h^e  now  said  enoa^  concerning  this  poMagB  J| 
of  Genesis,  wherein  Eve,  or  rather  the  writer  Moses, 
fiilly  agrees  with  the  New  Testament,  plainly  affirmind) 
Uiat  the  promised  Seed  of  the  woman  is  the  Lord  him^ilf 
(Jehovah)  ;  and  that  it  was  so  understood  and  believed 
by  the  mother  Eve  and  by  Moses ;  for  had  they  not  so 
understood  and  believed  it,  they  would  have  used  other 
words,  and  expressed  themselves  in  a  different  way. 

npO  this  same  point  tends  also  that  passage  of 
Modes  Gen.  xxii.  18,  where  God  confirms  by 
an  oath  this  promise  unto  Abraham. 

And  in  thy  seed  shall  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  be 
'blessed. 

The  term  here  read  is  Goim  :  by  which  term,  these 
very  dregs  of  the  Jewish  nation  in  our  day,  (if  they  really 
be  Jews,)  call  us,  by  way  of  curse,  op|jrobrium,  and  in* 
suit ;  for  this  reason  only, — because  we  ^ory  in  the  blessing 
contained  in  this  promise  which  God  clearly  made  unto 
Abraham  in  these  words,  when  he.  says,  "  In  thy  seed 
shall  all  the  nations  (Goim)  of  the  earth  be  blessed." 
For  they,  with  their  haughty  brows  on  account  of  their 
jcircumcision  arid  their  opitiioh  of  sanctity,  say  that  we, 
contrary  to  this  divine  promise,  are  execrated  and  ac- 
cursed: and  they  glory  that  they,  only  are  the  blessed 
seed  of  Abraham.  But  by  that  very  thing,  their  cursing 
the  nations,  and  being  in  truth  that  seed  by  whom  all 
nations  are  cursed,  they  openly  betray  themselves  as  being 
the  seed,  not  of  Abraham  but  of  the  devil ;  as  Christ 
himself  says  of  them,  John  viii.  44,  "  Ye  are  of  your 
father  the  devil.'* — For  we  hear  the  true  and  just  decla- 
ration of  God,  saying,  that  the  Seed  of  Abraham  should 
not  curse  the  nations  as  they  do,  but  that  all  nations 
should  be  blessed  in  him :  which  ever  has  been  done  in 
truth  by  Christ  hitherto,  and  ever  will  be  done  by  him 
untd"  all  eternity. 

But  this  promise  given  from  above,  arid  revealed  in 
the  Son  of  God,  is  not  a  blessing  ^ter  a  huinan  kind  or 
manner ;  as  when  men  vnsh  well  to  each  other  in  words, 


aff9 

uid  say  things  ineadi others  mvoiuv  mid  Inve  it  not  in 
tfaeir  power  to  do  any  thing  £etrther«  Nor  is  it  any  ma* 
Epical  or  rather  diabolical  incantation;  as  when  sorceresses 
previously  prepare  children,  or  cattle,  or  any  other  kind 
:>f  living  creatuies,  by  certain  invocations,  tlutt  they  may 
^ow  up  and  increase  prosperously,  and  may  not  be  hurt 
by  the  incantations,  spells,  &c.  of  others.  Nor  is  it  a 
Jewish  benediction;  such  as  those  which  they  dream  are, 
by  means  of  their  Schemhampheras^  as  they  call  them, 
(more  properly  their  Schampheres)  and  oUier  familiar 
tricks,  effectual,  through  certain  letters  or  figures,  Or 
through  the  name  of  God  the  tetragrammaton,  and  able 
to  perform  I  know  not  what  miracles,  rendering  them 
safe  against  all  steel  and  weapons  of  every  kind.  Nor 
are  they  Popish  benedictions ;  such  as  those,  which,  when 
their  mass-priests  have  counted  over  certain  prayers,  or 
passed  them  over  with  their  hands,  or  marked  them,  con- 
secrate^ (as  they  say)  water,  salt,  herbs,  meats,  and  other 
things  innumerable,  and  cause  them  to  have  I  know  not 
what  peculiar  efficacies,  besides  their  own  natural  ones 
which  were  given  of  God  when  he  created  them. 

But,  let  us  know,  that  this  is  properly  a  divine  bless- 
ing ;  that  is,  which  God  only  can  and  will  bestow.  And 
this  is  not  a  certain  vain  incantation  pronounced  in  words 
only,  wherein  God  signifies  that  he  wishes  us  well,  and 
prays  that  all  things  may  turn  out  unto  us  prosperously 
and  happily;  but,  it  is  such  a  blessing  as  is  truly 
effectual,  and  which  freely  gives  and  brings  with  it  all 
those  things  which  are  signified  by  it.  Thus,  when  it  is 
said  Gen.  i.,  that  God  blessed  all  the  living  creatures, 
and  afterwa]:ds  man  also,  and  said,  ^'  Be  fruitful  and 
multiply ;" — this  was  not  an  ineffective  empty  sound  or 
saying,  but  truly  effective ;  so  that  the  reality  imme- 
diately followed  upon  the  words  that  were  spoken ;  that 
is,  all  the  race  of  living  creatures,  and  man  also,  began 
to  be  fruitful  and  to  multiply,  even  until  they  had  filled 
the  earth.  And  this  very  blessing  has  been  effective 
continually  unto  this  very  day,  and  will  be  so  even  unto 
the  end  of  the  world.  For  it  is  by  reason  of  this  bless- 
ing that  all  we  men  exist,  and  whatever  we  are  or  have 


mo 

in  body,  minid,  or  estate,  together  'with  all  which  now  m 

•or  ever  ^11  be.        •  i 

So  also,  thi&  divine  blessing-promised  in  the  Seeded 
Abraham  is  truly  a  living,  ratified,  €md  effective  bleaif 
mg :  that  is,  bringing  wim  'it*  that  which  it -promises  4Uid 
loHUs.  And  it  is  especially  promised  'and  delivered  to  u 
4hat  it  might  be  an  antidote  as  it  were  iigainst  thai  tap- 
ijble  curse  under  which  we  were  laid  by  the  sabtletycf 
{he  serpent,  ditough  the  disobedience  and  sin  of  Ad^Mju 
'And  ttiis' promise  concerning  the  Seed  of  the  woman  is 
"Aus  repeated  h^re,  and  as  it  were' :  renewed  and  espe* 
daily  eonfined  to  Abraham,  for  <thil(  very  end^ — tfaat>  it 
might  be  manifest,  that  it  is,  and  is  called>  ^  Seed  of 
Alu'aham,  as  it  is  afterward  also  calleat  the  Seed  ^ 
iDavid,  and  at  last  the  Seed  of  the  Virgin,  or^  a  sm 
bom! 

Hence  by  this  saying,  that  all  nations  should  be 
blessed  in  the  Seed  of  Abraham,  is  plainly  signified  the 
tame  thing  as  was  spoken  to  our  first  parents, — that  the 
Seed  of  the  woman  should  bruise  the  serpent's  head  t 
that  is,  that  by  this  Seed  sin  and  death  should  be  taken 
out  of  the  way  and  abolished,  and  righteousness  and 
eternal  life  restored.  Fdr  sin  and  eternal  death  are  that 
very  curse  to  which  all  the  race  of  mankind  were  sub- 
jected, after  the  miseriable  fall  of  our  first  parents,  wid 
under  which  we  must  all  lie  for  ever,  unless  we  be  again 
tdessed  by  this  Seed ;  that  is,  unless  there  be  freety 
given  unto  us  a  new  righteousness  and  life,  whereby  we 
may  be  made  holy  and  saved ! 

Thus  therefore  we  nations,  (who  in  this  promise  are 
called  GoiM,)  glory  in  this  blessing  which  we  have  in 
the  Seed  of  Abraham,  and  humbly  claim  it  to  ourselves 
^  by  faith ;  and,  relying  on  that,  we  lift  up  our  heads,  and 
with  courage  despise  Satan  and  his  power,  and  sin  and 
death,  and' whgitever  otherenemy  Is  opposed  unto  us,  as 
being  all  now'  cohopkemd  and  j  triuttiphed  over*  Yea,  we 
joyfelly  sing  this^  song  of  victory — that  we  havie,  in  this 
Seed  of  Abn^am,  of  David,  and- of  the '- woman  Ihe 
Ykrgin,  the  remission  of  our  sins,  aii  eteniai  washbg 
fifSm  them,  Md  a  deliverance  from  ali  sin  and  id^aiitji'l 


281 

For  this  seed  is  become  unto  us  (as  Paul  saith)  our 
righteousness,  our  wisdom,  our  sanctification,  our  re- 
demption, oar  blessing,  our  hope,  our  life,  and  our  eter- 
nal rejoicing !  For  which  be  praise  and  glory  unto  the 
eternal  God,  for  ever  and  ever !  Amen ! 

Since  therefore,  this  Seed  of  Abraham  brings 
with  him  and  freely  bestows  this  efficacious  blessing  to 
aH  nations,  it  must  of  necessity  follow,  that  he  is  not 
only  Man,  and  one  that,  after  the  manner  of  men,  wishes 
us  well  in  words ;  but,  that  he  is  the  One  true  eternal 
God,  who  has  it  in  his  hand  and  power  truly  to  effect 
and  freely  bestow  this  blessing.  For,  to  abolish  sin  and 
death,  and  to  restore  righteousness  and  life,  is  not  the 
work  of  man  nor  of  an  angel,  but  of  the  One  eternal 
God,  the  Creator  of  all  things,  only. 

Again,  when  this  very  author  or  giver  of  this  blessing 
is  said  to  be,  and  is,  the  Seed  or  Son  of  Abraham,  and 
bom  from  his  posterity ;  it  of  necessity  follows,  that  he 
has  not  a  divine  nature  only,  but  is  also  truly  and  natu- 
rally Man,  of  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Abraham ;  that  is, 
that  the  divine  and  human  natures  were  truly  united 
together  in  the  One  same  Person ! 

And  again :  as  this  promised  Seed  is  not  the  same 
Person  that  said  to  Abraham  concerning  this  seed,  "  In 
thy  seed  shall  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  be  blessed;" 
it  of  necessity  follows,  that  this  Seed  is  another  Person 
distinct  from  the  Person  that  promised  the  Seed.  For 
he  that  spoke  these  words  to  Abraham,  "  In  thy  seed," 
&c.  most  certainly  is  not  that  very  Seed  of  Abraham, 
but  one  that  speaks  concerning  another  who  should  be 
his  Seed.  It  follows  therefore  of  necessity,  that  there  are 
here  two  distinct  Persons :  and  yet,  each  Person  is  the 
same  eternal  God  in  the  unity  of  the  divine  essence. 

And  moreover,  we  have  here  the  Third  Person  of  the 
Godhead,  manifesting  himself  also,  that  is,  the  Person 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  spoke  these  things  concerning 
the  other  Two  Persons,  in  the  vocal  word  by  Moses,  or 
by  the  angel  that  appeared  unto  Abraham ;  as  we  have 
observed  before^  that  the  ministration  of  the  vocal  word 
is  ascribed  unto  the  Person  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  in 

VOL.  II.  u 


1 


>vhi(ih,  he  reveals  himself  a«d  will  have  himself  ackdo^ 
ledged  separately  and  distinctly  ;  even  as  the  distinct  &ii 
proper  revelation  of  the  Person  of  the  Son  was  made  in 
^hat  human  nature  which  he  assumed. 

And  farther,  we  Christians  are  certified  from  thfe 
scripture,  that  it  was  necessary,  that  the  mother  of  this 
^promised  Seed  should  be  a  Virgin,  which  ^hou^ld  bring 
forth  this  offspring  conceived  of  the  Holy  Ghost  with- 
out sin.  For,  if  he  had  been  conceived  and  bom,  after 
the  general  manner  of  human  generation,  from  the  seed  §f 
of  man,  he  could  not  have  been  born  without  sin;  as 
the  51st  Psalm  declares  concerning  all  men  that  are 
born  after  the  manner  of  human  generation,  "  Behold,  I 
was  shapen  in  iniquity,"  &c.  Wherefore,  it  was  neces- 
sary, that  he  should  be  borri  of  that  seed  by  which  he 
might  be  blessed;  that  is,  free  from  sin  and  death; 
othermse,  he  could  not  have  been  himself  a  blessing 
4into  us,  nor  have  wrought  that  blessing  effectually 
in  us. 

But  however,  we  have  the  all^ull  observation  of 
Paul  upon  this  scripture,  and  especially  in  his  Episdes 
to  the  Romans  and  to  the  Galatians,  where,  bringing 
forward  many  things  out  of  the  promises  concerning  the 
Seed  of  Abraham  and  of  David,  he  teaches  us  like  an 
especial  messenger  from  heaven:  so  that  there  is  no 
Heed  for  us  now  to  enter  upon  any  farther  observations 
concerning  this  matter,  seeing  that  these  things  ought  to 
be  familiar  with  us  in  our  daily'&llings  upon  God,  in 
our  constant  reading,  and  in  our  perpetual  meditations. 

Here  then,  see  whether  Moses  does  not  prove 
himself  a  Christian  and  join  himself  unto  us,  when  he 
in  so  sweet  a  way  breathes,  as  it  were,  the  same  breath  of 
sentiment  as  Paul  and  the  whole  scripture  of  the  New 
Testament!  And  what  think  ye  our  Jews  would  do, 
those  enemies  of  Christ,  those  lovers  of  cupfring  only,  and 
that  seed,  not  of  Abraham  but  of  the  devil,  if  tbcy 
should  hear  their  Moses  saying  these  thin^?  WdBW 
they  not  stop  their  ears,  and  cry  out  that  he  should  he 
^^oned  to  death  as  a  blasphemer?  (for  tJiey  «csreely 
%ept^heir  hands  off  from  him  in  the^€le8eIt,  arid 'that 


t 

ir 

1 


t: 


$^wy^4iin^)  Would  those  very  .dregs  of  mankyid  hear 
SiKJh  a  preacher,  prophet,  and  teacher  as  this  r  Nay, 
would  they  judge  him  worthy  of  being, heard^  or  that 
any  one  out  of  the  number  of  the  circumcised,  that  is, 
of  those  most  holy  of  all  men  that  live,  should  lend  his 
most  holy  ears  to  a  spreader  of  such  heresies  ?  No !  his 
>ery  name  would  be  an  execration  in  their  eyes,  toge- 
ther with  all  the  accursed  Goim,  to  whom  he  makes 
<ki)own  from  above  so  great,  so  glorious,  and  so  blessed 
A  promise. 

Though  Moses  by  that  expression,  when  he  says 
^'^all  nations,"  does  not  exclude  the  Jews  themselves. 
For  in  the  scriptures  even  the  people  of  Israel  are  fre- 
•quently  spoken  of  under  the  term  '  nation'  (goi);  as  in 
•Deut.  iv.  7,  "  For  what  other  nation  is  there  so  great 
iwho  hath  God  so  nigh  unto  them,"  &c.  ?  But  they 
4hem£ielves  wilfully  exclude  thiemselves  from  this  so- 
ciety ;  in  which,  the  .first  part  as  it  were  Mas  given  untp 
them;  as  David  has  testified  of  them,  Psalm  cix.  17, 
,*  He  delighted  not  in  blessing,  (that  is,  that  which  was 
promised  in  the  Messiah,)  therefore  it  shall  be  far  from 
nim  ;  he  loved  cursing  and  it  shall  come  upon  him.  He 
clothed  himself  with  cursing  as  with  a  garment,  (that  is, 
as  an  under  garment  close  to  his  body,)  and  it  shall 
come  into  his  bowels  like  water,  (that  is,  into  his  veins 
<end  inward  parts,)  and  like  oil  into  his  bones,'  (that  is, 
into  his  very  marrow.) 

The  words  thefljfore  of  Christ  unto  them  concerning 
Moses,  "  Had  ye  believed  Moses  ye  would  have  be- 
lieved me :  for  he  wrote  of  me,"  John  v.  46,  are  suffi- 
ciently clear.     And  he  does  write  of  him,  whenever  he 
ispeaks  of  God  or  of  the  Messiah.   The  same  .also  is  that 
in  John  viii.  56,  "  Your  Father  Abraham  rejoiced  to 
see  my  day,  and  he  saw  it  and  was  glad."  Where  did  be 
see  it  ?  Where,  but  in  this  promise  whe^re  he  heard  that 
a  seed  was  promised  him  who   should  be-  God,  and 
'Should  be  born  Man  from  his  posterity,  and  should  bless 
^aJl  nations:  that  is,  should  deliver  them  from  sin  and 
^ideath,  and  should  give  unto  them  a  new  aud  eteipal 
-ni^twusness;  innocenqy^  life,  and  joy :  eveR^  we  ^^^Y.e 

u  2  V 


S84 

heard  above,  2  Sam.  vii.  1 — 17,  that  David  rejoiced 
with  the  same  joy  when  the  same  Son,  the  Messiali; 
was  promised  him. 


B 


n 


UT  let  us  hear  one  passage  more  out  of  |( 
Moses,  Exod.  xxxiii.  19,  20,  which  is  a 
very  remarkable  one,  and  by  no  means  to  be  passed  L 
by. — When  God,  incensed  with  just  anger  against  the  ,[ 
people  of  Israel  on  account  of  their  idolatry  in  the  case 
of  the  golden  calf,  declared  that  he  would  not  go  before 
the  people  through  the  desert;  and  when,  as  it  were, 
laying  aside  all  care  of  them  he  now  committed  all  the 
government  of  them  to  Moses,  so  that  he  said  he  would 
send  him  an  angel  which  should  be  the  leader  of  the 
people,  and  that  he  would  no  more  speak  with  the 
people  but  with  Moses  only;  hereupon,  Moses  most 
ardently  and  instantly  prayed,  saying,  "  I  beseech  thee 
shew  liie  thy  glory."     And  God  answered, 

/  will  make  all  my  goodness  to  pass  before  thee,  land 
I  will  proclaim  the  name  of  the  Lord  before  thee ;  and  I 
will  be  gracious  to  whom  I  will  be  gracious,  and  will  shew 
mercy  on  whom  I  will  shew  mercy.  And  he  said,  Thou 
canst  not  see  my  face :  for  there  shall  no  man  see  me, 
and  live. 

Now,  only  diligently  consider  this  passage,  laying 
aside  all  Jewish  and  Rabbinical  (or  rather  diabolical) 
corruption,  and  see  how  sweetly,  according  to  the 
simple  nature  and  genuine  propriety  of  the  Hebrew 
language,  it  agrees  with  the  scripture  of  the  books  of 
the  New  Testament.  Here,  God  plainly  answers  Moses, 
praying  that  he  would  shew  him  his  glory,  that  that 
glory  could  not  be  seen  by  mortal  man  :  and  yet  he  pro- 
mises him,  that  he  will  shew  him  openly,  or  cause  to 
pass  before  him,  all  his  goodness,  or,  all  the  goodness 
that  he  possesses. 

In  this  passage  you  hear,  first,  the  Person  of  the 
speaker,  that  is  of  the  eternal  God  the  Father,  and  that 
too,  speaking  of  the  Son,  who  is  promised  to  Moses 
and  the  people ;  in  whom  consists,  or  rather  who  him- 


885 

self  Is,  all  that  goodness  of  the  Father;  because  it  was 
by~him  that  he  created  all  things,  and,  with  a  goodness 
.  unspeakable,  gathered  unto  himself  an  eternal  church, 
to  which  he  freely  gives  himself  and  all  the  inexhaustible 
treasures  and  riches  of  his  goodness  to  be  enjoyed  unto 
all  eternity.  This  is  he  whom  he  saith  Moses  and  the 
diurch  shall  behold  ;  not  in  that  invisible  glory  of  his 
divinity,  but  revealed  to  us  for  the  catching  of  a  glimpse 
of  him  as  it  were  in  this  mortal  life. 

For  we  are  to  understand  from  the  wonderful 
description  of  this  conversation  with  God,  and  from  all 
similar  places,  that  Moses  does  not  bear  his  one  private 
person  of  one  man,  born  of  a  Levitical  family  from 
Amram,  but  that  he  is  a  prophet  and  ruler  called  of 
God  to  be  the  leader  of  the  people  of  Israel,  holding  a 
public  office  and  ministry,  and  representing  in  his 
person  the  church  of  this  people,  the  political  economy 
of  which  was  ordered  by  him,  and  the  doctrine  of 
which  was  made  known  by  him  as  received  from 
heaven. 

And  in  this  very  conversation,  there  directly,  con- 
nectedly, and  (as  we  say)  immediately  follows  the  words, 
above-mentioned,  another  Person ;  (not  however  another 
God,  but  the  same  Lord ;)  who  says  unto  Moses,  "  I 
will  proclaim  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  ; "  (for  this  is  the 
proper  signification  of  the  words,  and  propriety  is  here 
most  religiously  to  be  observed.)  You  hear,  therefore, 
the  Person  of  the  proclaimer  or  the  preacher,  and  in- 
deed of  the  Lord  himself,  who  declares  that  he  will  pro- 
claim before  Moses ;  that  is,  before  the  people  of  Israel 
and  during  its  political  economy ;  and  that  he  will 
proclaim  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  What  then  is  the 
meaning  of  this  ?  And  what  is  intended  by  it  ? — *  I  the 
Lord  will  proclaim  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  !'  Is  it  not 
evident,  that  we  must  here  understand  a  distinction  of 
Persons,  that  is,  the  one  Person  of  the  Lord,  who 
proclaims,  and  the  other  of  him  who  is  proclaimed,  or, 
in  whose  name  that  Lord  proclaims? 

According,  therefore,  to  this  dispensation  of  God, 
this  person  of  the  Lord  that  proclaims  must,  of  neces- 


d[ty,  ^sum'e  humati  nature,  atid  pimclaiim  in  that  wUSf 
it  should  be  among  men ;  otherwise  he  could  not  be  seew 
or  heard,  nor  be  said  to  be,  a  proclaimer  or  preachd*;; 
for  God  has  ever  from  the  beginning,  committed  this? 
office  of  teaching  or  the  ministry  of  preaching  antafiaeh, 
^  unto  the  patriarchs,  the  prophets,  ancf  the  apostles;  ^ 
by  whose  ministry  atid  voice,  he  willed  his  Word-  to  hi 
sounded  forth  and  to  be  handed  do^ii  unto  us. 

And  what  this  wonderful  teacher  was  to  proclaim  m 
the  name  of  the  Lord,  or  what  voice  he  was  to  utter,  is 
shewn  immediately  after  in  the  text,  "  I  will  be  graciots 
to  whom  I  will  be  gracious,  and  will  shew  mercy  on 
whom  I  will  shew  mercy." — As  though  he  had  said,  My 
preaching  and  my  doctrine  shall  be  of  a  different  kind 
from  thine,  Moses ;  to  thee  is  committed  the  office  of 
teaching  the  law,  and  thou  hast  to  sound  forth  and  to  j*^ 
inculcate  these  declarations.    *  I,  saith  the  Lord,  com-  jt' 
mand  thee  this  day  to  keep  all  these  my  commandments/ 
And  also,  *  These  are  the  precepts  and  the  judgments 
which  ye  are  to  do :  and  he  that  doeth  them  not,  shall 
he  under  the  wrath  and  Curse  of  God,'  &c. — But  1, 
introducing  a  new  kind  of  preaching,  when  I  proclaim  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord,  will  first  of  all  testify  that  no  man 
can  be  righteous  and  acceptable  in  the  sight  of  God  by 
the  law ;  because,  no  one  can  yield  that  obedience  which 
he  ought,  and  which  the  law  requires.    Wherefore,  thy 
voice,  or  the  doctrine  and  preaching  of  the  law,  can  effect 
nothing  else  than   the    making  all  men  wretched  and 
miserable,  that  is,  subject  to  the  wrath  and  curse  of  God, 
by  shewing  them  their  sins  in  which  they  are  entangled 
and  immersed  :  under  which  sight,  they  cannot  yield  the 
obedience  commanded  by  the  law,  but^  being  filled  with 
the  terrors  of  the  wraths  of  God  on  account  of  sin,  they 
rush  on  unto  death :  and  hence  it  is,  that  this  voice  of 
the  law  of  God  sounding,  is  rightly  called  '  the  ministra- 
tion of  sin'  and  '  of  death,'  2  Cor.  iii.  7,  and  Gal.  iii.  10. 
But  this  preaching  of  mine  shall  be  a  new  preaching, 
and  properly  mi/  voice,  that  is,  the  voice  of  the  Lord 
proclaiming  in  the  name  of  the  Lord:   it  shall  be  a 
preaching  proclaimed  by  me  the  Lord  at  the  command 


I  M7 

dmd^  decree  of  the  eternal  Father :  which  shall  be  efFec<^ 
ftdul,  through  his  grace  or  gift,  and  power:  that  is,  the 
?  Lord  himself  will  no  that  which  could  not  be  effected  by 
=  the  law :- — he  will  make   us  righteous  and  acceptable 
before  him  by  a  free  gift.    Here,  there  will  be  no  glory 
erf  human  worthiness  or  righteousness  ;  but  he  that  shall 
become  delivered  from  sin  and  the  eternal  wrath  of  God, 
and  acceptable  unto  God,  and  pronounced  righteous, 
sjiall  obtain  that  in  no  other  way  than  as  a  free  gift,  or 
by  the  free  bounty  of  a  merciful  God,  or  through  mercy 
Q^y ;  and  that  for  the  sake  of  the  Son  of  God,  who  thus 
proclaims  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  having  taken  upon 
him  human  nature,  he  himself  having  been  offered  up  as 
a  sacrifice  for  the  human  race,  to  appease  the  wrath  of 
God  and  to.  abolish  sin  and  eternal  death.    And  he  who, 
without  any  false  opinion  of,  or  trust  in,  his  own  righ- 
teousness, shall  look  to  the  grace  and  free  bounty  of 
God,  and  shall  flee  to  his  gratuitous  mercy,  and  seek 
from  that  only  his  righteousness,  that  is^  remission  of 
sins  and  the  inheritance  of  eternal  life ;  and  who,  believ- 
fag  my  voice,  shall  rest  confident  that  he  shall  obtain 
those  things  because  of  the  promise,  for  my  sake ; — such 
an  one  has,  most  certainly,  already  obtained  all  those 
things. 

This,  then,  is  what  is  meant  when  he  saith,  ^  I  will 
proclaim  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  I  will  be  gracious  to 
whom  I  will  be  gracious,'  &c.  For  this  is  the  immut- 
able decree  of  God. — Not  those  who  have  the  law,  or 
who  trust  in  their  own  fulfilling  of  it  and  in  their  own 
worthiness,  but,  those  who  flee  unto  me  as  merciful,  or 
who  rest  in  my  mercy, — these  are  they  who  find  me 
merciful,  pardoning,  appeased,  and  propitious ! 

For,  these  words,  "  to  whom  I  will  be  gracious," 
*'  on  whom  I  will  have  mercy,"  are  not  to  be  understood 
as  spoken  to  frighten  back  and  involve  in  doubt  the  con- 
sciences of  those,  who,  acknowledging  their  sins,  and 
feeling  that  they  are  accursed  and  condemned  by  the 
law,  struggle  under  the  terrors  of  the  wrath  of  God. 
But  these  declarations  of  God,  in  their  true  and  proper 
deaigo^  are  opposed  to  that  impious  and  obstinate  per* 


388 

saasion  of,  and  confidence  in,  self- worthiness  by  ffip 
law,  which,  in  the  ungodly,  works  a  hardened  adamantine 
obstinacy  and  contumacy  against  God. 

You  see  therefore,  what  it  is  for  this  Lord  to  pro- 
claim in  the  name  of  the  Lord  :  namely,  that  God,  by  a 
fixed  and  immutable  counsel  and  decree,  wills,  and  will  sr 
accomplish,  what  this  Lord,  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  J 
proclaims :  and  he  proclaims,  not  the  law,  but  the  free  g 
mercy  of  God.  Thus  John  plainly  saith,  John  vii.  19,  fe 
"  None  of  you  keepeth  the  law."  And  again,  John  viii.  a 
24,  "  If  ye  believe  not  that  I  am,  (that  is,  the  Lord  him:  i 
self,  Jehovah,  the  preacher  who  speak  also  unto  you,  or,  l 
as  he  saith  also  directly  afterwards,  "  the  same  that  I 
said  unto  you  from  the  beginning,")  ye  shall  die  in  your 
sins."  And  again,  still  ,more  clearly,  John  i.  17,  "  For 
the  law  was  given  by  Moses,  but  grace  and  truth  came 
by  Jesus  Christ." 

^VrOW  then,  compare  this  passage  of  Moses  with 
the  scriptures  of  the  New  Testament,  and 
judgfe  for  thyself,  whether  it  does  not  beautifully  and 
naturally  harmonize  with  them ;  and  so  harmonize,  as  to 
leave  no  occasion  for  doing  any  violence  to  it  by  im- 
proper, forced,  and  foreign  interpretations,  nor  any  need 
of  any  thing  but  an  attention  to  the  native  signification 
of  the  words.    For  if  we  retain  the  simple  propriety  of 
the  Hebrew  construction  and  mode  of  expression,  all 
things  exactly  agree,  as  instruments  in  perfect  harmony, 
with  the  profession  of  faith  which  the  church  of  God 
holds ;   concerning  which,    the   scripture  of   the  New 
Testament  thus  teaches  us ; — That  Jesus  Christ  is  truly 
the  Lord,  Jehovah,  God  and  Man,  who  was  the  preacher 
in  the  church  of  that  people  of  Israel;  as  Paul  saith, 
Rom  XV.  8,  when  he  calls  him  the  "  minister  of  the  cir- 
cumcision," that  is,  of  the  circumcised  people.    And  the 
Lord  himself  saith,  Matt.  xv.  24,  that  he  was   "  not 
sent  but  unto  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel."  And 
hence  also,  when  the  apostles  were  first  sent  forth,  there 
was  given  unto  them  an  especial  command,  that  they 
should  not  go  out  unto  the  nations.    And  so,  he  here 


8«9 

-'Mith  to  Moses,  "  I  will  proclaim  or  preach  before  thee.** 

>  As  though  he  had  said,  *  I  myself  or  I  this  person,  whom 

thou  hearest  speaking  unto  thee,  will  be  a  preacher  in 

the  midst  of  this  people  only,  this  political  Israel,  which 

have  the  circumcision ;  and  especially  unto  those  who 

have  been  alarmed  and  humbled  by  thy  ministry,  that 

is,  by  the  preaching  of  the  law  accusing  them  of  sin  and 

denouncing  the  wrath  of  God  .against  them;'    as  he 

clearly  speaks  concerning  himself,  Isaiah  Ixi.  *  He  hath 

sent  me  to  preach  good  tidings  unto  the  miserable  and 

afflicted,'  &c.     This  ministry  of  the  Gospel  therefore, 

is,  in  truth,  nothing  else  than  the  voice  of  the  Son  of 

God  sounding  and  proclaiming  grace  and  mercy  in  the 

name  of  the  Lord  .the  eternal  Father,  who  sent  his  Son 

for  this  very  end,  and  through  him  freely  bestows  these 

blessings  upon  us. 

This,  therefore,  is  that  passing  of  the  goodness  of 
God  before  Moses  and  his  people,  as  it  is  expressed  in 
this  passage ;  and  it  is  in  the  same  way  that  he  manifests 
himself  unto  us  also ;  and  by  which  it  is,  that  the  foun- 
tain of  all  goodness  is  opened  and  communicated  unto 
-us;  seeing  that,  that  glory  of  his  divinity  in  which  h6 
involves  himself  when  he  takes  upon  him  the  human 
nature,  cannot  be  seen  naked  and  without  a  veil ;  for 
the  sight  of  that  pertains  not  to  this  life,  but  is  laid  up, 
as  it  were,  and  reserved  for  the  life  that  is  to  come, 
when  we  shall  have  put  off  this  life  by  death;  as  he 
saith,  *  No  living  man  shall  see  me,'  that  is,  no  one  that 
is  yet  in  this  mortal  life. 

It  is  not  by  these  words  declared,  that  no  man  shall 
see  God:  but  it  is  rather  declared,  that  a  resurrection  of 
the  dead  is  necessary  and  will  take  place,  and  that  there 
remains  another  and  new  life  in  which  God  may  be  seen. 
But  it  is  in  reference  to  this  Hfe  that  it  is  said  "  No  man 
shall  see  me  and  live : "  that  is.  It  shall  come  to  pass  that 
man  shall  see  me,  but  not  in  this  my  passing  before  him 
while  he  lives  in  the  mortal  body :  he  must  first  die,  and 
pass  into  that  eternal  life,  and  then  he  shall  see  me : 
nay,  he  even  now  clearly  and  fully  understands  and  knows 
that  I  have,  mercy  on  whom  I  will  have  mercy,  and 


that  I  do  not  shew  mercy  for  any  worthiness  in  tbft 
man,  on  account  of  his  own  righteousness  oi!  the  work; 
of  the  law. 

I  AM  NOT  however  ignorant,  that  the  judaijziog; 
Rabbins  may  eavil  respecting  this  text  of  Moses  in  this 
place ;;  and  say,  that  the  Hebrew-word  Kara,  to  preach, 
signifies  also  to  call  aloud,  as*  we  express  it,  or  to  name, 
or  even  to  read,  as  Lyranus  and  Burgensis  remark.  But 
this  is  also  evident — that  when  this  same  word  is,  (as  it 
is  in  this  passage,)  joined  in  the  syntactical  construction 
with  a  preposition,  it  has,  properly,  the  signification  of 
preaching,  as  examples  from  many  other  passages  will 
shew.  As,  Gen.  iv.  26,  ''  Then  began  men  to  preach 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord."  And  also.  Gen.  xii.  8,  "  And 
there  he  builded  an  altar  unto  the  Lord,  and  preached  ia 
the  name  of  the  Lord."  But,  if  our  contentious  Rabbins 
and  judaizing  interpreters  will  not  receive  this,  that  is 
nothing  to  me.  It  is,  as  I  have  before  observed,  quite 
enough  for  me,  when  the  words  of  Moses  rightly,  ac- 
cording to  the  native  propriety  of  the  Hebrew  language, 
harmonize,  and,  of  their  own  accord,  without  any  wrested 
or  forced  interpretations  of  the  Rabbins,  fall  in  with  the 
sense  of  the  scripture  of  the  New  Testament.  And  that 
they  do  so,  all,  even  though  not  Christians  by  profes- 
sion, who  are  well  acquainted  with  the  Hebrew  language 
and  manner  of  expression,  are  compelled  to'  confess. 
And,  if  the  doctrine  delivered  in  the  writings  of  the 
apostles  be  true,  there  is  no  doubt  that  Moses  beautifully 
illustrates  the  very  sense  and  meaning  of  those  writings : 
for  his  words  do  not  properly  and  sweetly  harmonize  with 
any  thing  but  with  their .  sentiments :  so  that  it  is  suffi- 
ciently evident,  that  the  sense  of  the  one,  is  exactly  ex- 
pressed in  the  writings  of  the  other. 

And  it  is  in  this  way  that  I  wish  to  see  the  text  of 
.  the  holy  scripture  vindicated  and  cleared  from  all  the 
calumnious  and  blasphemous  corruptions  of  the  Jews, 
and  restored  to  its  primitive  purity.  But,  this  is  not  the 
work  of  one  man  only :  nor  is  it  enough  that  I  have  by 
my  example  shewn  the  way  to  others  more  learned  and 
better  acquainted  with  these  things  than  myself:  npr  that 


fhave  thm  g^eti  proof  of  my  istmBes*  and  will  in  tdUs^ 
impoftatit  matter  :-^let  others,  thus  invitedv  themselves! 
pi«odu5ce  something  more  and  better  than  I  l^ave  done. 

TJUT  again,  with  respect  to  what  immediately 
follows  in  the  context  of  this  history  of 
Moses. 

And  the  Lord  said^  Behold,  there  is  a  place  by  mey 
thou  shalt  stand  upon  a  rock :  and  it  shall  come  to  pass^ 
while  my  glory  passeth  by^  that  I  will  put  thee  in  a  cliftof 
the  7^Qck,  and  I  will  cover  thee  withWny  hand  while  I  pass 
by :  atid  I  will  take  away  mine  hand,  and  thou  shalt  sec 
my  back  parts:  but  my  face  shall  not  be  seen. — 

Here  again,  we  hear  two  persons  speaking,  and  each 
of  them  Jehovah,  or  Lord:  the  one  of  whom  saySy 
**  while  my  glory  passeth  by."  This  is  the  Person  of 
t-he  eternal  Father  speaking  of  the  passing  by  of  his 
^ory.  And  the  Son  himself  saith,  that  he  is  that  Person 
that  passes  by  :  for  all  these  things  are  spoken  concern- 
ing Christ  who  is  God  and  Man,  who  came  into  this 
world  and  passed  through  it  as  we  have  before  shewn.— 
And  then,  when  he  saith  "  there  is  a  place  by  me,"  and 
when  he  commands  Moses  to  "  stand  upon  the  rock, 
aftd  promises  that  he  will  *'  cover  him  with  his  hand 
until  he  shall  have  passed  by;  I  understand  these  things 
thus : — that  God,  for  the  sake  of  this  rock  that  should 
come,  (that  is,  Christ,  who  should  appear  iii  the  flesh 
according  to  the  promises,)  would  defend  and  preserve 
this  people  of  the  law,  or  this  Israel,  by  his  long-suffer- 
ing and  mercy,  even  though  they  did  not  yield  that  obe- 
dience in  keeping  the  law  which  they  had  promised  God 
they  would  do  :  (nor  indeed  could  they  do  it.)  And  it 
is  thus  also  that  Paul  understands  the  passage,  when 
he  say  Rom.  iii. — that  now,  the  righteousness  of  God 
is  manifested  for  the  remission  of  sins  that  before  existed, 
(that  is,  under  the  law,)  through  the  forbearance  of  God, 
&c.  These  I  say  are  now  manifestively  remitted,  since 
Christ  has  been  revealed  in  his  '  passing  by.' 

Bat  now,  after  this  passing  by,  God  has  removed  the 


9> 


S9« 

ri^t  hand  of  his  forbearance  with  which  he  covered  and 
protected  that  people.  For  since  "the  end  of  the  law," 
(as  Paul  saith  concerning  Christ,)  has  appeared,  there  is 
now  no  need  of  that  forbearance  and  protection  under 
the  expectation  of  Christ  to  come.  Nay,  let  him  be  ac- 
cursed who  is  yet  expecting  a  Christ  to  come,  and  who, 
like  Moses;  is  still  asking  for  such  a  passing  by.  For 
now  that  passing  by  has  taken  place  some  time  ago,  and 
that  stretching  forth  of  the  right  hand  in  the  passing  by; 
and  the  Lord  himself  has  been  manifested,  until  whose 
coming,  that  stretching  forth  of  the  hand  of  God  and  that 
long-suffering  were  toremain.  And  now,  we  behold  as 
it  were  the  back  parts  of  him  having  passed  by,  that  is, 
what  he  himself  has  wrought  before  our  eyes ;  for  this  is 
to  behold  his  back  parts,  or  those  benefits  which  he  pro*^ 
cured  for  us  and  left  behind  him ;  that  is,  that  the  Son 
of  God,  having  assumed  human  flesh,  became  a  sacri- 
fice for  us,  w  as  crucified,  and  rose  again  from  the  dead. 
So  that  the  human  nature  itself  may  not  improperly  be 
called  his  back  or  "  hinder  parts,"  in  which  he  manifested 
himself  to  be  contemplated  and  known  by  us  here  in  his 
passing  by,  until,  in  that  eternal  and  immortal  enjoyment^ 
of  his  presence^  we  shall  behold,  not  his  back  parts  only, 
but  his  face  and  the  glory  of  his  divinity,  in  open  vision ! 

It  is  in  the  same  manner  also  that  he  introduces 
this  same  Lord  in  the  following  chapter  xxxiv.  5 — 7. 
And  the  Lord  descended  in  a  cloud,  (that  is,  the  Son  of 
God  himself  Jesus  Christ,)  and  stood  by  Moses,  (or 
with  Moses,)  and  proclaimed  in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 
And  he  passed  by  before  him  and  proclaimed,  "  O  Lord, 
the  Lord  God,  merciful  and  gracious,  long-suffering,  and 
abundant  in  goodness  and  truth,  who  keepest  mercy  unto 
a  thousand  generations,  forgiving  iniquity,  transgression, 
and  sin,  and  before  whom  no  one  is  innocent ;  visiting 
the  iniquity  of  the  fathers  upon  the  children,  and  upon 
the  children's  children,  unto  the  third  and  fourth  gene- 
rations." 

The  reading  however  of  this  passage,  is  shamefully 
corrupted  in  the  Latin  version  of  the  Bible  that  is  com- 
monly received,  however  it  was  that  such  a.n  error  crept 


S93 

in.  For,  instead  of  that  which  is  delivered  to  us  in  the 
Hebrew  text,  that  the  Lord  proclaimed  and  preached,  &c. 
some  one  has  substituted  the  person  of  Moses,  that 
Moses  called  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  that 
Moses  said,  "  The  Lord,  the  Lord,"  &c.  This  arose  per- 
haps from  an  offence  being  taken  at  the  absurdity  of  the 
scripture  language  which  was  not  understood  ;  and  be- 
cause it  did  not  seem  consistent,  that  it  should  be  said, 
that  the  Lord  proclaimed  concerning  the  Lord,  (or  cried 
aloud  concerning  God :)  and  therefore  the  person,  who- 
ever he  was,  thought  that  it  wouj^  be  better  to  underr 
stand  it  concerning  Moses. 

That,  however,  which  Burgensis  has  observed,  does 
not  displease  me :  who  judges  that  this  text  may  from 
the  Hebrew  be  rightly  read  thus — '  And  the  Lord  passed 
by  before  him  and  called  aloud,  or  proclaimed,  or  pro- 
nounced, "  The  Lord,  the  Lord  God,"  &c. :  or  declared 
aloud  or  proclaimed,  "  The  Lord,  the  Lord  God,  mer- 
ciful and  gracious : "  or  as  we  commonly  express  our- 
selves, spoke,  or  held  a  discourse  concerning,  "  The  Lord, 
the  Lord  God,  merciful,  good,  and  gracious : "  by  which 
may  be  signified,  the  substance  or  subject-matter  of  this 
wonderful  proclamation. 

You  have,  therefore,  in  this  passage,  an  evident  and 
remarkable  testimony,  that  this  same  Lord  is  calle^,  and  - 
is,  the  proclaimer,  and  proclaims  in  the  name  oif  the 
Lord.  For  you  hear  plainly  two  called  Lord  :  whereas,, 
it  is  evident  from  the  scripture,  that  there  are  not  two 
Lords  nor  two  Gods.  Nay,  when  he  saith  that  the  Lord 
proclaimed  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  "  The  Lord  God," 
you  hear  the  name  Lord  repeated  twice,  and  God  men- 
tioned as  a  third  time.  There  are  then  Three  to  be 
understood  as  named,  arid  yet  there  are  not  three  Gods. 

We  have  moreover  shewn  above  what  it  is  to  proclaim 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord : — namely,  that  our  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God  and  the  Virgin, 
is  that  preacher,  who,  in  the  name  of  the  eternal  Father, 
and  sent  by  the  eternal  Father,  proclaims  concerning  the 
same  Father  unto  Moses,  and  so,  to  the  whole  of  that 
people,  whom  the  person  of  Moses  represents  when  God 


294 

speaks  unto  him ;  and  he  proclaims  concerning  the  in- 
finite  mercyj  and  free  goodness  of  God  ;  that  is,  be- 
cause no  one  can  be  justified  by  the  law,  seeing  thai 
no  man  can  fiilfil  it. 

The  same  meaning  of  this  proclamation  is  also  re- 
peated, only  in  other  words,  where  it  i&  said  that  the 
Lord  "stood  by  (or  with)  Moses"  and  proclaimed.— 
For  why  is  he  said  to  stand  by  Moses,  and  not  to  stand 
above  Moses,  or  at  a  distance  from  him  ?  Why  ?  but  to 
shew,  that  these  two  ministries,  the  one  of  the  law  the 
other  of  the  Gospelftoiust  be  joined  together,  althou^ 
each  has  its  proper  office  and  peculiar  effects.  For  the 
ministry  of  Moses  is  to  preach  sin,  (that  is,  to  strike 
the  terror  of  punishment  and  of  the  wrath  of  God,)  and 
so,  by  this  same  preaching,  to  kill.  But,  the  ministry  d 
•Christ,  is,  to  proclaim  the  Gospel  of  grace,  and,  by  that 
preaching,  to  make  alive. 

These  ministries  are  certainly  quite  contrary  to  each 
other.  And  yet,  the  ministry  of  grace  cannot  be  effec- 
tual, but  then,  and  in  those  persons,  where  sin  has  been 
•revealed  and  felt ;  that  is,  where  minds  have  been  terri- 
fied by  the  preaching  and  doctrine  of  the  law,  shewing 
them  the  eternal  wrath  of  God  ;  as  Christ  himself 
plainly  saith.  Matt.  xii.  that  he  came  to  preach  the 
'Gospel  to  the  poor,  the  afflicted,  and  the  lost  sheep  of 
Israel ;  that  is,  to  those  who,  by  the  preaching  of  the 
law,  feel  themselves  to  be  lost. 

What  then  does  this  Lord  proclaim  near  Moses  or 
"  with  Moses  ?  "  This,  saith  he,  is  the  substance  or  sum 
ef  the  proclamation. — He  proclaims  concerning  the 
Lord,  the  Lord  God :  who  is  merciful,  gracious,  &c. : 
that  is,  concerning  that  God  who  has  revealed  himself 
in  his  given  Word,  by  his  Son,  that,  in  the  Godhead 
itself,  there  are  Three  co-eternal  Persons ;  that,  before 
this  One  only  God,  no  man  can  be  received  or  can 
stand,  trusting  in  the  opinion  of,  or  confidence  in,  his 
own  worthiness  or  merits,  (because,  such  a  worthiness 
must  be  false,  and  a  thing  that  has  no  existence ;)  that 
they  who  are  saved,  are  saved  by  his  mere  mercy,  and 
-gratuitous  benefits,  for  his  goodness  sake,  and  dte  yt- 


x: 


\ 


i 


e9i 

»acity  of  hh  promises ;  and  that  therefore,  it  is  he  who 
Awrgives  all  sins,  iniquities,  and  transgressions,  and  that 
:no  one  can  be  guiltless  in  his  sight. 

This,  therefore,  is  what  this  divine  proclamation 

teaches   us — that,    if   thou    wouldst    apprehend    God 

surely,  and  call  upon  him  by  his  true  name,  accorcfing 

to  this  revelation  of  himself,  thou  must  acknowledge 

Wm  as  being  merciful  and  gracious  and  pardoning  sin ; 

that  before  him,  no  one*  is  innocent,  sinless,  or  without 

-guilt ;  and  that,  there  is  'no  room  for  any  man  to  glory 

^before  him  in  his  own  worthiness,  even  though  it  be 

iMoses,  the  Baptist,  or  any  one  even  beyond  these  in 

^fts  and  excellence.    But  thou  must  <:onfess  from  a  true 

iieart,  with  Paul  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  that  the 

airhole  world  is  guilty  before  God ;  and  that  all  have 

icome  short  of  the  glory  of  God ;  that  is,  that  no  one 

can  glory  that  he  is,   before  God,  innocent  and  just. 

And  whosoever  does  not  bring  this  confession  before 

God,  this  sentence  stands  against  him  which  is  added 

at  the  end  of  this  proclamation,  "  Who  visits  the  sins 

of  the  fathers  upon  the  children,  unto  the  third  and 

fourth  generation:'  or,  as  Christ  saith,  "He  that  be- 

lieveth  not,  is  condemned  already." 

And  it  is  also  to  be  observed  in  this  passage,  that 
it  is  not  given  in  the  same  words  exactly  as  in  the 
giving  of  the  first  commandment  in  the  Decalogue.  It 
is  there  said,  '  I  am  God,  shewing  mercy  unto  thousiands 
in  them  that  love  me  and  keep  my  commandments.' 
But  here,  instead  of  that  part,  this  negative  is  added, 
'"  before  whom  no  one  is  innocent ; "  that  is,  no  one  of 
all  man  either  loves  or  keeps  my  commandments,  but 
those  only,  who,  without  any  glorying  in,  or  opinion  of, 
their  own  merits  and  worthiness,  believe,  acknowledge, 
and  proclaim  me  a  God  merciful  and  gracious;  and 
who  confess  themselves  to  be  guilty  and  unworthy,  and 
unceasingly  pray  with  a  true  heart  that  prayer,  ^  Forgive 
OS  our  trespasses,  as  we  also  forgive  them  that  trespass 
against  us.' — And  this  most  certainly  is  nothing  else, 
than  proclaiming  grace  and  free  mercy. — For  this  does 
tiot  shew  us  what  God  demands  from  us,  or  what  per- 


5296 

fection  he  requires  in  us,  as  the  commandment  of  dbe' 
law  does,  (which  we  in  this  life  can  never  fulfil,)  bot, 
what  God  of  his  mercy  towards  us  freely  gives  unto  us; 
what  benefits  he  freely  bestows,  and  indeed,  has  freely 
bestowed  through  his  Son  ;  of  which  the  doctrine  of  the 
New  Testament  or  of  the  Gospel  openly  testifies. 

We  have  here  then  clearly  shewn  who  that  divine  ■ 
preacher  is,  who  talked  with  Moses  and  revealed  him- 
self, and  foretold  what  his  future  proclamation  should  be 
which  should  be  made  by  the  Gospel  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment. And  it  is  also  clearly  manifest,  that  the  event 
fully  agreed  with  this  prediction ;  for  that  w^hich  he 
foretold  unto  Moses  is  now  in  reality  confirmed  by  the 
doctrine  of  the  New  Testament ; — that  it  is  not  by  their 
own  righteousness,  or  by  any  worthiness  or  merit  of  tbeit 
own,  but  by  the  mercy  of  God  only,  promised  throu^ 
his  Son  and  made  known  by  him,  that  men  are  justified ; 
that  is,  accepted  of  God,  and  made  heirs  of  eternal 
life. 

A  ND  again,  with  respect  to  the  prayer  of 
Moses  unto  the  Lord  God,  which  follows 
this  part  of  the  history,  wherein  he  begs  of  God  that  he 
himself  would  lead  the  people  and  go  among  them,  and 
not  forsake  them,  but  keep  them  unto  himself  and  pre- 
serve them ;  and  when  the  Lord  answers  that  he  w^ould 
do  what  he  requested,  -and  would  work  signs  and 
wonders  before  the  people,  &c. ;  here,  God  is  now  ap- 
peased, and,  receiving  again  the  people  into  favour, 
renews  the  covenant  that  he  had  entered  into  with 
them,  and  now  writes  the  tables  of  the  Decalogue;  and, 
in  a  short  repetition,  sums  up  the  other  laws  and  rites 
that  were  to  be  observed  by  that  political  kingdom; 
but,  concerning  the  free  remission  of  sins,  there  is  here 
no  mention  made  whatever,  as  there  was  before. 

The  sum  therefore  of  the  contents  of  this  prayer  is 
this. — After  Moses  had  received  the  all-sweet  promise 
peculiar  to  the  New  Testament,  wherein  it  was  said  that 
the  Lord  himself  should  be  the  preacher  or  teacher,  and 
the  ruler  among  his  people;   there  being  now  com- 


297 

iiitted  to  him  the  office  of  teaching  and  ruling  over  the 
3$K>ple  of  Israel  until  the  time  of  the  New  Testament, 
:oncerning  which  the  predictive  promise  speaks;  he 
low  prays,  that  the  Lord  himself  would  attend  his  office 
n  that  church  also,  and  assist  him  therein.  For,  saith 
le^  what  can  I  do,  or  what  can  I  hope  to  effect  that 
ih^U  be  saving  without  thee?  They  are  a  stiff-necked 
people.  And,  unless  thou  be  with  us,  pardoning  our 
sins  and  sparing  us  through  thy  mercy  and  long- 
buffering,  and  patiently  bearing  with  us  until  thou  thyself 
appear  as  the  preacher  of  grace,  we  can  hope  for  no 
salvation.  And  therefore,  we  have  the  greatest  need  to 
he  protected  by  thy  mercy  and  long-suffering  in  this  our 
office  and  ruling  appointed  and  delivered  to  us  by  thee, 
wherein  thy  law  is  to  be  taught  and  enforced ;  which, 
however,  will  never  be  fulfilled  by  us. 

In  a  word,  Moses  here  prays  for  that  same  thing 
which  was  promised  chap,  xxxiii.  concerning  God's 
putting  fcMTth  his  hand  and  covering  him  while  he  stood 
in  the  cleft  of  the  rock.  For  God  here  answers  him, 
*  I  will  do  what  thou  desirest  of  me.  I  will  make  a  cove- 
nant before  all  thy  people,  and  I  will  do  marvels,  such 
as  have  not  been  done  in  all  the  earth  among  any  na- 
tions :  and  this  people  among  whom  thou  art  shall  see 
the  work  of  the  Lord,  how  wonderful  a  thing  that  is 
which  I  will  do  with  thee.  But,  observe  thou  and  keep 
all  those  things  which  I  command  thee  this  day,'  &c. 
Here,  it  is  quite  plain  that  all  these  things  are  spoken 
concerning  the  covenant  of  the  Old  Testament,  and  con- 
cerning the  people  of  Israel  under  the  rule  of  Moses ; 
because,  express  mention  is  made  of  the  driving  out  of 
the  Amorites,  the  Canaaniles,  and  the  Hittites,  &c. ; 
which  certainly  took  place  under  the  political  dispensa- 
tion of  the  Old  Testament. 

And  observe,  how  carefully,  in  all  this  conversation 
with  Moses,  God  avoids  calling  this  people  "  my 
people/'  He  calls  them  throughout  the  people  of 
Moses :  "  thy  people,"  saith  he.  And  again,  "  this 
people  among  whom  thou  art."  And  yet  he  adds,  *  I 
wiU,  indeed,  as  I  have  promised,  defend  this  people 

vot.  II*  X 


S98 

^ith  my  hand,  standing  in  the  cleft  of  the  rock,  and  I 
•will  moreover  do  wonders  before  them,  such  as  nevcat  l|^ 
have  been  done  in  any  nation/ — And  certainly^  tbe||P 
facts  themselves  prove  all  this.  For  if  thoii  read  the 
Hvhole  scripture  of  the  Old  Testament,  thou  wilt  find  a  |p 
doud  of  testimonies  witnessing  with  how  many  and 
great  miracles  God  manifested  his  presence  andwoilln 
among  this  people,  from  the  time  of  Moses  himi^f|^ 
unto  the  manifestation  of  Christ.  Though  this  people 
Were  not  properly  the  people  of  God,  but  of  Moses;  L 
that  is,  not  of  grace,  but  of  the  law ;  that  is,  that  whole  L 
multitude  M-ere  not  the  people  of  God  who  had  received  |[ 
the  laM'  delivered  by  Moses,  and  had  entered  into  a  co- 
venant with  God  thereby ;  excepting  those,  (of  whom 
there  was  always  a  small  company,)  who  beheld  the  face 
of  Moses  when  the  veil  was  takdn  off;  that  is,  who 
knew  the  true  use  of  the  doctrine  of  the  law,  and  held 
fast  the  true  consolation  by  faith  in  the  promised  Son  of 
God.  All  the  rest  of  the  multitude  of  men  were  pleased 
With  themselves  from  a  persuasion  of  their  own  right- 
eousness, or  obstinately  and  confidently  established  the 
righteousness  of  the  law. 

Moreover  this  is  also  here  to  be  observed — that 
the  words  of  this  passage  do  not  obscurely  signify,  that 
this  Lord  who  speaks  with  Moses,  is  the  true  Messiah, 
Jesus  Christ,  of  whom  it  was  foretold  that  he  should 
come  to  be  a  prophet  or  preacher  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament. For  here,  he  plainly  and  clearly  distinguishes 
his  Person  from  the  Person  of  God  the  Father,  saying, 
''That  all  this  people  may  see  the  wonderful  works  of 
God  :  which  I,  (saith  he,)  will  do.'  You  here  see,  that 
he  ascribes  and  assigns  all  these  works  of  miracles  unto 
God:  and  yet  he  sdith,  that  ^e  will  do  them:  that  is, 
those  same  works  which  the  Lord  shall  do.  And  this  is, 
exactly  what  Christ  saith,  John  v.  19,  "  What  things 
soever  the  Father  doeth,  these  also  doeth  the  Son  like- 
wise.'* Again,  ver.  17,  "  My  Father  wbrketh  hitherto, 
and  I  work."  And  again,  ver.  21,  "  For  as  the  Father 
raisethup'tbe'dfead  and  quScReDeth  tbem,  even  so:  the 
Stjn  (jiiicken^th  whom  he  triH;*^  ^        ^ 


« » 


399 

Here  then,  k  is  certainly  by  no  means  obscure,  that 
-the  Evangelist  John  agrees  with  Moses,  and  Mos^ 
with  John ;  iso  much  so,  that  the  words  are  nearly  the 
aame ;  and  there  is  in  each  ^  distinet  mention  of  Two 
J^ersons,  of  the  eternal  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  as  John 
saith:  or,  as  Moses  saith,.  of  the  Lord  (who  proclaims 
opnoePDing  the  Lord)  and  of  the  Lord  (who  saith  that 
he  doth  the  miracles.)  The  divine  work  of  each  is  ne- 
vertheless the  same,  not  diiferent ;  nor  some  works  of  the 
one,  aiid  some  of  th^  other.  And  hence  it  must  of  ne- 
iSfeBsity  follow  that  these  Lords  are  not  different,  but  the 
(>cfe  same  Lord  and  God.      . 

'  '  And  again,  shortly  afterward  in  this  same  chapter, 
ver.  23,  ^the  same  Lord,  among  other  things,  speaks 
Aus  unto  Moses — "  Thrice  in  the  year  shall  all  ydur 
men-children  appear  before  the  Lord,  the  Lord  God  of 
Israel.*' — Here  again  the  Lord  speaks  concerning  the 
Liord,  the  Lord  God  of  Israel.  For  these  are  not  the 
words  of  Moses,  but  of  that  Lord  who  has  been  all 
fiilong  speaking  with  Moses,  and  is  now  still  speaking 
with  him  and  committing  to  him  that  Old  Testament 
government  of  the  political  people  of  Israel,  whom -he 
said  he  would  protect  and  bear  with,  through  his  for- 
giveness and  patience,  until  the  appointed  time  of ;,his 
passing  by ;  all  which  I  have  fully  shewn  above,;  and 
which  is  manifest  from  the  ^  whole  .context,  if  any  one 
will  diligently  consider  it.  *      : 

And,  as  to  the  Rabbins  and  their  disdples  the 
Jews,  who  wrest  all  these  things  to  other  mieanings,  and 
proudly  reject  our  interpretations,  that  happens  to  th^m 
just  according  to  their  characters :  for  it  is  but  right  and 
just,  that  those:  who  are  the  enetnies  of  Gbd,  should  hot 
flee  nor  understand  any  thing  of  the  words  of  God.  'And 
what  they  belsh  forth  upon  the  whole  of  this  text,  is 
such  a  vomitand  filth,  that  it  is  not  fit '  for  any  omer 
readers  and  disci[^es  than'«wine  and  asses:  that^id,  it 
must  always  .be>/ Like  dug,  Jike  sickling  P  r  Nor  ;iB  it 
any:  niarvel :  -  fpr  this  ma^t^r  ci^f  thc^lfe,  •  MdseM^i^'rthe 
rays  of  His  face:  Hs  with  hc^ns;  so  Ufazztea*  the^  we*  of 

.'  .  .  X  -2  ^     .■■•■■.■..        ^ 


;. 


300 


their  minds,  that  they  cannot  steadfastly  bdiold  ha 
brightness. 

We,  however,  by  the  grace  of  God,  stead&stly  be-  li 
holding  the  face  of  Moses,  perceive  him  so  to  speak,  | 
that  his  words,  naturally,  and  according  to  the  native 
phraseology  of  the  Hebrew  language,  beautifiilly  acccnd 
with  the  scripture  of  the  New  Testament.  For  althou^ 
at  that  time  the  rule  over  that  people  was  committed  to 
him,  who  are  so  often  accused  of  being  perverse  and 
stiff-necked ;  yet,  he  at  the  same  time  clearly,  and  in  a 
spirit  of  prophecy,  speaks  of  the  Son  of  God,  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ :  that  is,  that  he  is  truly  Man,  and  also  truly 
and  naturally  God  together  with  the  Father  and  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  and  who  works  and  does  all  those  same  thingii 
which  the  Lord  himself  is  said  to  work  and  do ;  but  so, 
that  there  is  always  preserved  a  distinction  of  Perscwas. 

This  is  abundantly  enough  for  us :  and  we  regard 
not  the  being  accounted  fools  and  senseless  creatures  by 
thg  Jews  and  Mahometans,  nor  do  we  envy  them  their 
sweet  dreams  of  having  a  peculiar  wisdom,  and  of  wan- 
dering as  it  were  among  the  islands  of  the  blessed,  and 
seeming  to  themselves  to  be  blessed  above  all  others. 
And  for  ought  I  care,  let  each  one  believe  and  think 
just,  as  he  pleases.  I,  however,  seriously  confess  that  I 
believe,  and  am  firmly  persuaded,  that  Moses,  with  full 
consent,  so  agrees  wifii  me  and  with  all  who  have  given 
in  their  names  for  Christ,  that  he  ought  to  be  held  a 
true  Christian  and  a  teacher  of  Christians.  Nor  should 
he  by  any  means  seem  less  a  friend  of  Christ,  because, 
in  his.  time,  he  was  covered  with  the  Jewish  hood  as  it 
were,  or  the  cloak  of  his  magisterial  office  under  the 
Old  Testament  dispensation :'  even  as,  in  these  our 
latter  times,  Bernard,  and  many  a  holy  nmn  like  him, 
though  clothed  in  the  habit,  and  attending  to  the  rules 
of  .monkery,  have  been  found  to  be,  in  faith,  true  and 
steady  Christians :  that  is,  they  were  not  so  devoted  to 
tl%  hooded  cloak  and  monastic  traditions,  as  to  trust  in 
them,  and  to  assume  to  ^drnwuBelves  an  opinion  of  right- 
:60usness  before  God,  and  <eS  a^  mngular  holiness  and 


901 

perfection  because  of  them:  but  they  rented  in: a  te^ 

""ItMice  on  the  grace  and  benefits  of  the  Son  of  God,  and 

believed   that  they  were  saved  by  them  as  all  other 

saints  are:    as  Bernard  frequently  testifies  concerning 

himself.    In  the  same  manner  also  Moses  permits  that 

multitude  of  his,  the  Jewish  people,  to  glory  in  their  law 

^  and  political  economy  appointed  them  m)m  above ;  and 

be  himself  also,  covered  as  it  were  with  the  same  gar« 

ment,  is,  in  appearance^  a  Jew ;  yet,  in  his  heart,  faith, 

and  confession,  he  embraces  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  and 

joins  himself  unto  him  I 

V 

CINCE  then  it  has  thus  far  been  shewn,  that 
Moses  himself  is  an  especial  teacher  and 
ruler  in  the  church  of  God,  and  gives  testimony  con- 
cerning Christ,  there  is  no  doubt  that  his  followers  and 
disciplesj  the  prophets,  will,  with  full  consent,  subscribe 
to  his  testimony ;  since  it  is  quite  evident,  that  they  in 
no  respect  differ  either  in  doctrine,  faith,  or  profession, 
from  their  master. 

But,  what  room  sufficiently  convenient  and  capa- 
cious shall  we  find  for  receiving  so  great  a  number  of 
friends  and  witnesses,  so  as  to  place  each  as  it  were  in 
his  proper  seat?  The  space  of  this  little  book  is  too 
narrow  and  confined ;  for  it  cannot  even  receive  Moses 
wholly :  let  us  then  rather  do  this. — Let  us  go  to  these 
witnesses,  [instead  of  their  coming  to  us,'\  that  we  may 
hear  them  and  yield  up  ourselves  as  convinced  by 
them :  for  they  are  much  better  furnished  with  rich 
meat  and  drink  than  we  are,  and  have  store  enough  to 
entertain  us  sumptuously  and  abundantly.  Let  the 
inquiring  reader,  then,  set  these  witnesses  before  him, 
and,  by  a  diligent  reading,  observe  where,  in  their 
writings,  either  the  Lord  (JEHOVAH).Jesus  Christ  is 
properly  and  plainly  introduced,  with  his  Person  ex^- 
pressly  pointed  out,  as  speaking  himself;  and  where 
another  [Lord]  is  introduced  as  speaking  of  him. 

We  have  hitherto  heard  out  of  Moses,  with  sufficient 
clearness,  that  it  was  this  same  [Lord,  Jesus  Christ] 
who   spoke  with  Moses   on   Mount  Sinai,  Mho  went 


/  -» 


sew 


before  Moses  and  tbe  ^bple  as  their  leader  throdj^^dw 
wilderness,  and  as  the  head  of  their  whole  ggvemmMl* 
•and  who  manifested  his  presence  by  testimonies  of  ijai^ 
i^acles-  And  although  he  who  did  all  these  things,  (Wi4 
respect  to  Person,)  did  them  not  alone,  but  the  eternal 
i'ather  and  the  Holy  Ghost  did  the  same  tbingis  ako^ 
and  those  things  were  their  same  common  wofk ;  yctj 
tliis  Person  of  the  Son,  (the  Lord,)  willed  himself  to  he 
especially  manifested  in  all  these  revelations  and  acts,  that 
so,  he  might  be  understood  to  be  a  Person  distinct  from 
that  of  the  eternal  Father,  and  yet  of  the  one  same 
divine  essence  and  Godhead. 

Hence,  he  who  understands  and  sees  this ;  (which 
very  few  do  understand  and  see ;)  that  is,  who  can  see  in 
the  prophetical  scripture  where  any  one  Person  of  the 
Godhead  is  speaking  concerning  another  Person,  or  to 
another;  that  is,  who  can  see  when  not  one  PersoB 
.  only  but  more  are  signified; — such  an  one  will  soon 
discern  which  is  the  Person  of  the  eternal  Father  in 
those  places,  and  which  is  the  Person  of  the  co-eternal 
Son.  And,  where  there  is  a  distinct  mention  made  of 
these  Two  Persons,  there  is  also  signified  the  Person  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  that  is,  who  speaks  by  the  scripture,  as 
it  is  said  in  the  Greed. 

For  example,  when  it  is  said  in  Psalm  ii.  7,  "  The 
Lord  hath  said  unto  me.  Thou  art  my  Son,  this  day 
have  I  begotten  thee ; "  and  in  tliat  passage,  Exod.  xxxiii. 
which  I  have  interpreted  a  little  above,  "  The  Lord  pro- 
cliaimed  in  the  name  of  the  Lord;"  and  also  in  that 
Gen.  xix.  24,  "  The  Lord  rained  fire  and  brimstone 
'from  the  Lord;"  it  is  easy  to  understand,  that  by  Lord 
here  is  signified  the  Son  of  God  the  Logos  ; — that  it 
was  he  that  rained  from  the  Lord,  that  is,  from  the 
eternal  Father.  For  it  is  evident  that  the  Person  of 
the  Son  is  from  the  Father,  and  not  the  Father  from 
the  Som       . 

And  so  Hosea  i.  7,  "  But  I  will  have  mercy  upon 
the  house  of  Judah,  and  wilt  «ave  them  by  the  Lord  their 
God;  and  will  not  save  them  by  bow,  nor  by  sword, 
nor  by  battle,  by  horses,  nor  by  horsemen,'  &c. — 


30* 

V  AiH^Jn  th^  same  maaner,  Zephaniah  iii.  9,  the  Lord. 
i;^Mitb»  "  Then  I  will  turn  to  the  people  a  pure  language, 
iSljBJ;  tjbey  may  all  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and 
serve  him  with  <Mie  consent." 

Aga^n^  Psalm  xlv.  7,  "  Therefore  God  thy  God 
liath  anointed  thee  with  the  oil  of  gladness  above  thy 
fc^ows/*  And  verse  11,  "  So  shall  the  king  greatjy 
desire  thy  beauty :  for  he  is  thy  Lord,  and  worship.thou 
him." 

And  again,  Jeremiah  xxiii.  5,  6,  "  Behold,  me  days 
come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  raise  unto  David  ^, 
righteous  branch,  and  a  King  shall  reign  and  prosper, 
and  shall  execute  judgment  and  justice  in  the  earth.-- 
A^d  this  is  the  name  whereby  he  shall  be  called,  The 

LoRJ)  OUR  RIGHTEOUSNESS.  ' 

Upon  all  these  passages,  however,  we  have;  spojkeri 
more  fully  elsewhere,  and  in  their  place. 

But  when,  in  the  histories  and  representations  of 
scripture,  no  mention  is  separately  and  distinctly  made 
of  one  Person  from  another,  but  one  Person  only  is 
introduced  under  the  appellation  of  God  or  Lord ;  there, 
thou  mayest  follow  that  *  rule'  which  is  given  above^ 
and  interpret  the  name  Jehovah  concerning  the  Son  of 
God,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 

And,  for  an  example  let  us  take  that  of  I$aiah  I.  1, 
"  Thus  saith  the  Lordj  Where  is  the  bill  of  your 
nsiother's  divorcement,  whom  I  have  put  away?" — 
Here  the  name  Jehovah  signifies  the  Person  of  the 
Son  of  God,  even  though  it  does  not  point  him  out 
distinctly,  or  by  his  proper  appellation,  (as  Lyranus  and 
others  rightly  expound  this  passage.)  And  the  interpre- 
tation of  Lyra  greatly  pleased  me  formerly  when  I  read 
it;  because,  by  a  pious  confession  and  bold  mouth,  he 
affirms,  against  all  the  corruptions  of  the  Jews,  that  this 
Lord  is  truly  that  Jesus  Christ,  whom  we  believe  and 
confess,  from  the  scriptures,  to  be  the  Son  of  God. 

And,  if  you  diligently  consider  the  whole  of  this 
chapter  of  Isaiah  according  to  this  interpretation,  (for 
the  whole  context  contains  the  words,  not  of  the 
prophets  but  of  the  Lord  himself;,)  in  the  whple  of  this 


304 

chapter,  I  say,  you  wilt  see,  that  the  Son  of  66d  <m  1^ 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  does  not  speak  according  to  his  own  p 
proper  divinity  only,  but  also  according  to  his  humao  p 
nature  also.  For  he  expressly  saith,  ver.  6,  "  I  gm  I" 
my  back  to  the  smiters,  and  my  cheeks  to  them  that  p 
plucked  off  the  hair :  I  hid  not  my  face  from  shame  and  jfi 
spitting.  For  the  Lord  God  is  my  helper/'  &c.  But,  read  It 
the  whole  of  that  context  thyself,  and  thou  wilt  soon  |C 
understand,  that  it  is  the  Lord  God  himself  who  maket 
himself  a  teacher  and  a  preacher  of  the  heavenly  doc- 
trine, and  who  confesses  that  he  suffers  and  is  subjected 
to  the  cross,  and  expects  help  and  deliverance  from  the 
Lord. 

And  again  with  respect  to  those  passages  in  which 
there  is  no  mention  of  any  certain  Person  distincdy 
made,  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  cites  Mew,  and  property 
applies  them  to  the  Son  of  God ;  as  when  it  cites  in  the 
first  chapter  that  passage  from  the  97th  Psalm,  ver.  7, 
'^  And  again,  when  he  bringeth  in  the  first-begotten 
into  the  world,- he  saith.  And  let  all  the  angels  of  God 
worship  him."  In  this  passage  from  the  Psalm,  there  is 
no  one  particular  annexed,  which  might  signify  that 
these  words  are  to  be  understood  expressly  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ;  excepting  that,  at  the  beginning  of  the 
Psalm,  it  is  said,  *'  The  Lord  reigneth ;  let  the  earth 
rejoice ;  let  the  multitude  of  the  isles  be  glad  thereof," 
&c. — Which  words,  no  Jew,  nor  any  other  equally  des- 
titute of  our  faith,  will  easily  allow  to  have  been  spoken 
concerning  Christ,  nor  will  he  sufi'er  himself  to  be 
convinced. 

But  the  Holy  Ghost  teaches  and  testifies  this — that 
no  other  person  was  ever  made  a  king,  or  received  a 
kingdom  or  dominion  over  the  earth,  (as  it  is  there  said,) 
and  over  the  multitude  of  the  isles,  and  over  all  those 
who  shall  resist  him,  but  the  Messiah  himself  the  Son 
of  God ;  as  Psalm  ii.  6,  had  plainly  declared,  "  I  have 
set  my  King  upon  my  holy  hill  of  Zion."  And  also 
2  Sam.  vii.  *  I  will  ebtablish  him  over  my  kingdooi 
for  even' 

And  that  ^this  same  Messiah  is  truly  and  naturally 


^5 

Ood,  this  97th  Psalm  also  testifies,  (and  that  is  what 
the  author  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  designed'  to 
shew,)  when  it  says,  "  And  let  all  the  angels  of  God 
worship  him ; "  which  passage,  however,  in  the  Hebrew 
reads  thus,  "  Worship  him,  all  ye  gods :"  but  the  term 
gods  cannot  here  signify  the  eternal  God  the  Creator: 
for  there  are  not  said  to  be,  nor  are  there,  many  gods,  but 
One  eternal  God.   And  therefore,  these  gods  are  inter- 
preted angels;  even  as  in  other  places  princes,  governors, 
judges,  or  magistrates,  are  in  the  scripture  called  gods; 
which  nevertheless  are  in  their  nature  created  of  God. 
—To   these  it  is  commanded,   that,  casting  away  all 
idols   and   other  religious  worshippings,    they   should 
worship  this  Lord,  their  King.    This  God  therefore,  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  is  to  be  worshipped 
by  all  creatures,  angels,  and  men.    Hence  this  Psalm,  as 
I  have  said,  is  rightly  and  piously  understood  concerning 
Christ,  though  there  is  not  in  it  any  distinction  of  Per- 
sons directly  expressed. 

Moreover  in  this  same  Epistle  which  is  written  to 
the  Hebrews,  there  is  this  passage  cited  from  Psalm  cii. 
25,  26,  "  And  thou,  O  Lord,  in  the  beginning  hast  laid 
the  foundation  of  the  earth :  and  the  heavens  are  the 
work  of  thine  hands.  They  shall  perish,  but  thou 
remainest,"  &c. — Here,  no  distinct  mention  of  any  per- 
son is  made  to  the  reader,  especially  to  him  who  is  not 
a  Christian,  which  should  lead  to  the  understanding  of 
these  words  expressly  and  distinctly  concerning  Christ, 
or  the  Person  of  the  Son  of  God.  And  it  seems,  that, 
although  many  other  passages  more  direct  and  remark- 
able might  have  been  cited  by  the  author  of  this  Epistle, 
yet,  by  adducing  these  as  an  example,  he  wished  to  set 
them  forth  thus,  with  a  design  to  establish  a  certain 
rule,  according  to  which  we  might  by  searching  find  out 
Christ  the  Son  of  God  in  the  prophetical  scriptures : 
namely,  to  shew,  that  he  is  called,  as  indeed  he  is,  the 
Lord  God  himself  the  Creator,  together  with  the  eternal 
Father  and  the  Holy  Spirit ;  that  every  one  may  safely 
assure  himself  and  know,  that  he  will  speak  truly  and 


SQ6 

ri^tly,  whenever  he  shall  say  that  Christ  is  the  €raitdi 
of  all  things.  .* 

h 

AND  moreover,  let  this  particular  be  carefiilly  ^ 
attended  to  in  reading  the  holy  scripture—  ^ 
that  we  diligently  observe  and  consider,  when  any  dw-  » 
tinction  of  Persons  is  signified  in  the  manifestations  of  1^ 
the  Godhead,  in  what  words  each  Person  is  distinctly  i< 
expressed.  As  for  example:  (that  we  may  assist  those 
who  cannot  at  the  moment  light  upon  a  better  passage 
to  exemplify  the  point  in  question :) — In  the  interpretiBg 
of  this  Psalm,  let  us  take  that  contained  in  the  above- 
mentioned  passage,  2  Samuel  vii.  and  apply  to  this 
Psalm  that  promise  concerning  the  Son  of  David  who 
should  build  the  house  of  the  Lord,  and  be  a  King  and 
Lord  in  it  unto  all  eternity :  from  which  promise  many 
Psalms  and  prophetical  declarations  were  afterwards 
derived.  And  there  is  no  doubt,  that  the  prophets 
every  where  in  their  declarations  concerning  Christ,  and 
that  many  other  parts  of  the  scriptures,  had  respect  unto 
that  promise  concerning  the  "house"  and  the  "king- 
dom "  of  the  Messiah,  and  are  to  be  referred  unto  it  as 
unto  a  certain  fountain-head.-r-For  this  same  Psalm 
speaks  also  concerning  the  building  of  this  house  and 
kingdom ;  and  it  moreover  anxiously  and  ardently  prays, 
that  the  Lord,  remembering  his  promise,  would  have 
mercy  upon  his  people,  and  would  come  and  build  again 
Zion;  as  it  is  there  written,  "  Thou  shalt  arise,  and  have 
mercy  upon  Zion  ;  for  the  time  to  favour  her,  yea,  the 
set  time  is  come.  For  thy  servants  take  pleasure  in  her 
stones,  and  favour  the  dust  thereof.  So  tl^e  heathen 
shall  fear  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  all  the  kings  of 
the  earth  thy  glory.  When  the  Lord  shall  build  up 
Zion,  he  shall  appear  in  his  glory.  This  shall  be  written 
for  the  generation  to  come :  and  the  people  which  shall 
be  created  shall  praise  the  Lord." — It  is  certain  that 
these  things  are  not  spoken  concerning  that  temporal 
Zion  or  Jerusalem,  which  was  standing  in  the  time  of 
David ;  nor  was  it  that  house  or  Zion  which  this  pro- 


307 

v(d^  declari^  should  be  built  by  the  Son  of  David  long 
after  his  death,  or  that  he  should  rei^  in  that  for  ever« 
Nor  was  it  oa  account  of  this  city  or  temple  that  the 
nations  should  be  gathered  together  to  serve  the  Lord. 
And  we  have,  moreover,  abundantW  shewn,  that  the 
builder  or  architect,  and  the  master  of  this  house^  is  the 
Lord  himself,  Jehovah,  the  eternal  God,  and  yet,  the 
Seed  or  Son  of  David. 

Rightly  and  properly,  therefore,  does  the  Epistle  to 
the  Hebrews  apply  the  words  of  this  Psalm  to  the 
Person  of  the  Son  of  God,  Jesus  Christ;  who,  although 
he  is,  with  the  eternal  Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  the 
One  same  God  the  Creator  of  all  things;  yet,  with 
respect  to  the  architecture  and  building  of  this  house, 
yea,  and  also  the  government  and  eternal  dominion  in 
it,  he  is  revealed  as  a  Person  distinct  from  the  Father : 
and  therefore  it  is,  that  it  is  here  said,  that  the  builder, 
is  the  Lord. 

And  these  again  are  particular  marks  that  distin- 
guish the  Persons — that  Christ  the  Son  of  God  is  said 
to  be,  and  is,  "  the  seed  of  Abraham,"  in  whom  it  is 
declared  that  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  shall  be  blessed. 
Again,  thatrhe  should  be  "  the  desire  of  all  nations,"  or, 
that  all  nations  should  obey  him,  Gen.  xxii.  and  xlix. 
And  again  Psalm  ii.  *  I  will  give  thee  the  nations  for 
thine  inheritance,'  &c.  And  concerning  this  very  king- 
dom among  the  nations  the  Psalm  before  us,  the  97tn, 
clearly  speaks  also,  and,  in  that  particular,  expressly  sets 
forth  the  Person  of  the  Son. 

In  a  word :  the  Three  Persons  are  One  true  God, 
One  Lord,  One  Divine  Majesty,  or  One  Essence ;  but, 
the  manifestations  are  distinctly  different.  At  one  time 
.the  eternal  Father  reveals  himself,  at  another  the  Son  of 
God,  at  another  the  Person  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  But 
whatever  Person  reveals  himself  in  the  manifestation,  it 
is  certain  that  that  Person  is  the  eternal  God,  and  that 
the  divinity  in  the  Three  Persons  is  the  same.- — We  are 
thus  rightly  to  acknowledge  the  Godhead,  lest  we  should 
wander  from  it  as  in  an  uncertain  sea,  after  the  manner 
of  the  Mahometans  and  Jews ;    or,  should  follow  the 


308 

mad  dreams  of  bereA^s^  that  God  is  tha  same  both  a^j 
essence  and  person ;  thus  making  no  distinction  betwcial 
Person  and  Essence.  For  God  cannot,  nor  indeed  w]|| 
he,  be  known  according  to  our  thoughts,  bat  he  will  be 
known  as  he  has  revealed  himself. 

And  more  especially,  God  willed  his  Son  to  be 
revealed  in  the  scripture  both  of  the  Old  and  the  New 
Testament,  and  to  be  acknowledged  by  us. — All  things 
have  respect  unto  this  Son.  For  it  is  on  account  d 
this  Messiah,  or  this  Seed  of  the  woman,  that  all  scrip- 
ture is  delivered  unto  us.  Because,  it  was  by  him  that 
all  things  were  to  be  restored  which  were  destroyed  by 
the  serpent,  that  sin  and  death  should  be  abolished,  that 
the  horrible  wrath  of  God  should  be  appeased,  and  a 
new  righteousness,  life,  immortality  and  joy  in  the  eternal 
presence  of  God,  should  be  brought  to  light ;  and  that 
thus,  as  Paul  saith.  Col.  i.  all  things  might  be  united 
and  brought  together  under  one  Head. 

For  when,  die  serpent,  the  devil,  tempted  man  to 
transgress  the  command  of  God,  he  used  this  art  in 
particular. — He  endeavoured  to  raise  in  him  a  contempt 
and  hatred  of  the  Son  of  God,  when  he  said  to  him, 
*  For  God  doth  know,  that  in  the  day  ye  eat  of  the  tree, 
ye  shall  be  as  God,  knowing  good  and  evil.' — And  this 
was  to  injure  the  glory  of  the  Son  of  God,  to  usurp  it 
to  himself,  and  to  wish  to  cast  him  down  from  his  seat 
For  it  is  his  prerogative  alone,  as  the  Son  of  God,  to  be 
equal  with  God;  or,  as  Paul  saith,  Col.  i.  15,  to  be 
"  the  image  of  the  invisible  God;"  and  as  it  is  written, 
Hebrews  i.  3,  "  to  be  the  brightness  of  his  glory  and  the 
express  image  of  his  Person."  And  before  this  fall  of 
man,  the  devil  himself,  when  he  was  among  the  excellent 
angels,  turned  himself  from  God,  when  he  fell  in  like 
manner  against  this  "  image,"  the  Son  of  God.  For, 
not  resting  content  with  being  in  this  excellent  nature, 
like  the  elect  angels,  the  image  of  God,  (yet  not  in  the 
same  manner  as  the  Son  of  God,  in  co-eternal  substafice, 
but,  a  created  image,)  he  dared  with  horrible  pride  to 
aim  at  that  glory  of  the  eternal  image,  which  lies  within 
the  essence  of  the  divinity ;  as  some  writers  expound 


30^ 

that  passage,  Isaiah  xiv.  %  under  the  name  of  the  khig 
of  mbylon,  making  it  refei*  to  the  fall  of  the  devil,  as 
though  the  prophet  alludes  to  that,  when  he  says,  *  How 
art  thou  fallen  from  heaven,  O  Lucifer,  son  of  the  morn- 
ing !  For  thou  saidst  in  thy  heart,  I  will  ascend  into 
heaven.  I  will  ascend  above  the  heights  of  the  clouds, 
and  I  will  be  like  the  Most  High.' — And  therefore  it 
was,  that  there  was  a  distinct  manifestation  made  of  the 
Son  x)f  God,  and  he  assumed  human  nature :  that  by 
him,  in  the  human  flesh,  the  human  race  might  be  agaia 
restored,  which  had  rushed  upon  and  offended  his  divine 
nature  by  its  horrible  fall. 

Therefore,  the  sum  and  scope  of  the  whole  prophetic 
scripture  point  to  Christ  the  Son  of  God  and  of  the 
Virgin;  as  may  be  clearly  understood  from  those  things 
which  have  been  hitherto  here  brought  forward.  All, 
I  say,  centres  in  him,  all  is  on  his  account.  And  it  was 
for  this  purpose  especially  that  all  these  manifestations 
were  made,  and  the  prophetic  doctrine  delivered, — that 
we  might  acknowledge  him  as  the  Lord;  and  that  so, 
his  Person  may  be  distinct :  and  yet,  that  by  him  we 
might  know  the  eternal  Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost ; 
and  that  we  might  enjoy  the  open  vision  of  this  One 
eternal  God  for  ever  and  ever.  Whosoever,  therefore, 
rightly  knoweth  this  Son  of  God,  to  him  the  whole  of 
the  prophetic  scripture,  with  all  its  hidden  and  secret 
mystery,  is  opened  up,  the  veil  being  taken  away :  and 
the  mpre  his  faith  grows  in  the  Son  of  God,  and  the 
stronger  it  becomes,  the  more  clearly  this  light  of  the 
scripture  breaks  forth  and  the  brighter  its  rays  shine 
upon  him. 

When  thou  hast  attained  unto  the  holding  fast  of 
this  as  a  foundation;  when  thou  hast  acknowledged 
Christ  by  faith,  and  hast  confessed  that  he  is  truly  Cjod 
and  man,  according  to  the  doctrine  of  the  scripture; — 
then,  thou  hast  need  also  of  diligent  care  and  caution, 
that  thou  judge  rightly  concerning  the  natures  and  the 
Person  of  Christ :  lest  thou  shouldst  as  it  were  divide 
and  sunder  the  Person;  or,  confound  the  distinct  natures 
the  human  and  divine,  into  one.     For  thou  must  hold 


e 
h 


i 

t 


e 


510 

together  with  the  distinction  of  natur^^  the  indivisible  p 
unity  of  the  Person.  It 

Many  have  in  this  very  point  erred  from  the  tro4. 
They  have  either  confounded  the  divine  and  famnan 
natures,  so  as  to  teach  that  th^  are  one  and  the  same: 
or,  on  the  other  hand,  of  the  One  they  have  made  two 
persons.  In  the  latter  error,  was  Nestorius ;  in  the  for- 
mer, Eutyches ;  and  many  mad  ones  have  erred  in  both 
points.  But  those  remains  of  the  Jewish  dregs  in  our- 
day,  and,  on  the  other  side,  the  disciples  of  Mahomet, 
as  wonders  that  have  come  down  from  heaven  since  all 
that  were  before  them,  and  as  being  on  that  acconnt  in- 
spired with  a  spirit  much  more  divine,  have  drunks  unto 
a  wisdom  far  more  sublime ;  in  the  pride  of  which,  they 
laugh  at  us  who  profess  the  name  of  Christ  as  being 
stupid  in  the  extreme,  and  prefer  their  deep  penetration 
far  before  all  that  we  know. — '  If,  (say-  they,)  ^  your 
Messiah  be  God,  how  comes  it  to  pass  that  he  died  like 
unto  a  man?  whereas,  the  peculiar  property  of  God  is, 
that  he  cannot  die.  And,  if  he  be  man,  how  comes  it  to 
pass  that  he  should,  by  nature,  be  the  Son  of  God  ?  For 
if  God  be  One  only,  without  wife  or  consort,  how  can 
he  beget  a  son  ? ' 

,  Thus,  while  they  seem  to  themselves  to  reach  the 
heaven  with  their  finger,  and  to  penetrate  into  the  very 
inmost  recesses  of  the  divine  wisdom ;  at  the  very  time 
when  they  are  censuring  certain  things  in  our  wisdom 
concerning  the  Messiah,  as  being  absurd  in  the  eyes  of 
human  reason,  and  as  utterly  abhorrent  from  all  human 
judgment;  at  the  very  same  time,  they  themselves  deserve 
to  be  laughed  at  by  all,  no  less  than  that  frog,  which,  as 
the  German  proverb  goes,  having  by  chance  espied  a 
farthing,  sat  upon  it,  and  being  as  proud  of  it  as  if  it  had 
gotten  all  the  riches  of  Persia,  is  said  to  have  exclaimed 
with  the  utmost  arrogance,  *  Dignity  should  always  ac- 
company money ! ' — We  have  to  return  thanks,  therefore, 
to  these  most  great,  most  perfect,  most  wise,  most  divine, 
yea  all-praise-surpassing  teachers,  by  whom  we  poor 
'miserable,  blockish,  leaaen-headed  Christians,  (I  know 
not  whether  I  may  say,  men,  but  posts,  stones,  toad- 


811 

stools,  and  useless  cumberers  of  the  earth,)  are  to  be 
taught  this  hidden,  deep,  and  divine  mystery, — that  God 
can  neither  die,  nor  be  a  husband!  We  congratulate, 
therefore,  the  present  age,  and  all  posterity,  upon  having 
these  most  remarkable,  most  excellent,  all-incompar- 
able, most  choice,  most  renowned,  all-honour-surpassing 
teachers  and  masters,  by  ^hose  lessons  and  demonstra- 
tions, we  have  arrived  at  such  an  exalted  height  of 
Wisdom,  (which  we  never  could  have  thought  of  before,) 
as  to  know, — that  the  divine  nature  cannot  die,  nor 
liave  a  wife ! 

Ought  we  then  after  this  to  wonder  at  any  thing !  or 
rather,  ought  we  Christians,  not  to  wonder,  that,  where- 
ever  any  Jew  or  Mahometan  touches  the  ground  with 
his  foot,  the  whole  earth  is  not  immediately  seen  to  leap, 
in  an  incredible  ecstacy  of  joy,  and  with  an  unprecedented 
and  unheard  of  commotion,  over  the  very  heaven  itself 
tod  all  that  fabric  of  the  upper  world !  And,  on  the 
other  hand,  that  all  those  celestial  bodies,  the  sun,  the 
'  moon,  and  the  other  luminaries  and  stars,  do  not  imme- 
diately, to  express  their  praise  of  such  demi-gods,  cast 
themselves  down  at  the  feet  of  the  Jews  and  Turks,  or 
even  tumble  headlong  down  to  hell  and  to  the  region  of 
the  infernal  spirits ! 

It  is  an  immense  and  incomprehensible  wisdom, 
truly,  to  know, — that  God  has  not  a  wife,  and  is  not 
mortal !  These  are  things  that  are  far  above  the  capa- 
city of  the  lunatic  Christians  :  nay  they  are  a  something 
that  the  mind  and  imagination  of  no  one  can  embrace ! — 
And  how  necessary,  think  ye,  this  secret  wisdom  must 
be  ?  that  is,  what  these  by  far  more  great,  more  learned, 
and  more  wise  ones, 'than  all  the  great,  learned,  and  wise 
men  in  the  world,  have  taught — ^that  God  cannot  die, 
and  that  God  is  not  a  husband !  For  what  are  we  poor, 
miserable,  blind  creatures,  more  stupid  than  asses,  and 
more  dull  than  toad-stools,  who  are  called  Christians ! 
And  when  should  we  ever  have  attained  unto  that  secret 
of  the  heavenly  wisdom,  unless  poor  toad-stools  and 
asses  as  we  are,  we  had  met  with  these  most  divine  above 
all  divine  teachers  r  * 


S12 

But  however,  let  us  have  done  with  those  to-be* 
pitied,  rather  than  to-be-lau^ied-at,  &natics;  and  let 
us  leave  them  alone  to  enjoy  their  empty  dreams  of 
wisdom. — Let  the  godly  reader,  however,  hold  hA 
immovably  the  truth  of  our  faith,  which,  resting  on  the 
all-firm  testimonies  of  that  wisdom  that  was  delivered 
from  above,  teaches,  that  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  is 
truly  and  naturally  God  the  Son  of  the  eternal  Father, 
and  truly  man  the  Son  of  David  from  the  womb  of  the 
Virgin  Mary.  And  yet,  that  there  are  not  two  sons,  or 
two  persons,  but  One  and  the  same  Son  in  the  same 
Person,  by  a  true  conjunction  or  union  of  the  two 
natures,  the  divine  and  the  human ;  each  of  which  natures, 
however,  is  distinguished  from  the  other  by  its  peculiar 
properties. 

For,  as  I  observed  before  concerning  the  article  of 
the  Three  Persons  in  the  Godhead,  that  we  are  to 
beware,  that  we  confound  not  the  distinct  Persons  into 
One;  and  again,  that  we  divide  not  the  one  same 
divinity  or  essence,  as  if  there  were  three  gods  to  be 
understood ;  but,  that  there  must  be  held  a  distinction 
between  the  Three  Persons  in  the  One  undivided  essence  ; 
so  here,  with  respect  to  the  Son  of  God,  thou  art  on  the 
other  haild  to  beware,  that  thou  divide  not  that  One 
Person  into  two ;  and  again,  that  thou  confound  not  the 
distinct  natures  in  the  same  Person  into  one,  and  make, 
as  it  were,  two  christs :  but  there  must  be  held  a 
distinction  of  the  two  natures  in  the  wonderful  unity  of 
the  Person! 

And  this,  moreover,  is  to  be  known, — that,  as  both 
natures  are  joined  or  united  in  the  one  Person  of  the 
Son  of  God;  so  also,  the  terms  in  the  language  or 
form  of  speech  received  in  the  church,  or,  as  they  are 
commonly  called,  general  expressions,  (pr6Bdicata,)  which 
we  use  when  speaking  of  the  natures  separately,  apply  to, 
and  as  it  were,  are  the  same  as,  those  which  we  use 
when  speaking  of  the  whole  Person.  Which  forms  of 
expression  we  usually  call  an  union  of  identities  or  pro- 
perties.: that  is,  when  that,  which  is  proper  to  the  one 
nature  and  is  applied  to  that  separately  and  abstractedly, 


313 

ia  yeV  ^^  f^  general ,  way  '.o£  eKpression^  -applied  to  the 
whole  person.  Thus/ as  we  ri^tl^  and  truly  say  that  the 
Man  was;  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  was  crucified 
by  the  Jews:  so,  these  same  terms  or  general exjpre&i 
skms,  are  rightly  applied  also  to  the  Son  of  God:  txui 
it  is  rightly  said,  that  the  Son  of  God  was  born  of  tK^ 
Virgin,  and  was  crucified  by  the  Jews :  because^  thie 
God  and  Man  are  One  Person,  or.  One  Christ  the  Son 
of  God  arid  of  the  Virgin :  for  there  are  not  two  christs, 
nor  two  sons,  the  one  of  the  eternal  Father  and  the 
other  of  the  Virgin,  but,  they  are  the  One  same  Son  of 
God  and  of  the  Virgin.  Though  it  is  true,  that  the  term 
Man,  in  itself,  is  properly  understood  of  the  human  na* 
tare ;  even .  as,  the  name  God,  (which  is  proper  to  the 
divine  nature,)  is  applied  to  the  divine  nature  sepa- 
rately. 

Now  then,    if  thou  wilt  deny,    as   Nestorius  im- 
piously aijd  madly  dreamed,  that  God,  or  thp  Son  of 
God,  Jesus  Christ,  was  bom  of  a  Virgin,  and  was  cru- 
cified by  the  Jews ;  and  wilt  contend,  that  the  Man  only 
wa3  born  of  the  Virgin  and  was  crucified,  &c.— in  so 
doing,  thou  dividest  the  indivisible  unity  of  the  Person 
of  Christ  into  two;  of  which,  the  one  is  made  to  be 
bom   of  the  Virgin  and  nailed  to  the  cross,  but  thfc 
Qtber  neither  to  be  JbOrn  nor  to  suffer.    In  this  way,- it 
would  be  understood,  that  each  nature  ife  a  separate 
person  subsisting  of  itself,  and  no  longer  One  Son,  but 
two  sons :  which  is  exacdy  the  same  as  denying  that 
God,  or  the  Son   of  God,   was  made  Man;   and  is 
making  such  a  sundering  of  the  Person  of  Christ,  as  if 
the  God  were  a  Pqrson  to  be  conadered  as  truly  and 
individually  separate  from'  the  Man :  and  as  if,  on:  the 
other  hand,  the  Man  were  individually  separate  from  Ithe 
divine  Person  :  to  assert  which,  is  manifestly  cohtrary 
to  the  truth  and  impious. — The  scripture: plainly  refutes 
this,  which  speaks  thus,  John  i.  14/  "Arid  the  Word 
was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt  among  u^.^'  And,  Luke  i.  34, 
"  Therefore  also,  that  holy  thing  which,  shall  be  born  oif 
thee  shall  be  called  the  Son  of  God."  And  our  common 
Creed,  which  is  called  the  Apostles'  Creed,  speaks  thus, 

VOL.  II.  Y 


S14 

'  I  believe  in  Jens  Cfarut  die  only  Son  of  Ood^  irtio 
was  conoeiTed  of  the  Hdy  Gbost,  bom  of  the  YirffA 
MarV)  saffered,  was  crucified/  ftc.  It  does  not  uy  tliit 
die  Son  of  God  was  one,  and  the  Man  diat  was  boiti, 
another ;  but,  that  the  same  who  was  bom  of  die 
Virgin,  and  who  is  the  Son  of  the  Virgin  still,  is  die 
8otiofGod. 

A  ND  again :  If  thou  fall,  on  the  other  hand, 
into  the  delirium  of  Eutyches,  thou  deoitiSt 
that  this  Man  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Creator  of  llie 
heavens  and  the  earth  and  all  things^  or,  deniest  tliat  ke 
is  the  Son  of  God,  who  is  to  be  adored  and  pmyed 
onto. — Even  as  I  remember  that  a  certain  fanatic,  a 
very  few  years  ago,  made  a  great  noise  and  tragic  to^o, 
dwelling  incessantly  upon  this  —  how  perilously  we 
acted,  who  adored  the  creature  instead  of  the  Creator: 
whereas,  such  neither  attentively  read  those  things  that 
are  delivered  in  the  prophetic  and  apostolic  writings,  nor 
have  any  understanding  of  the  terms  of  expression  re- 
>ceived  by  the  churchy  nor  of  the  meaning  of  its  doc- 
trines :  but,  whatever  doctrines  they  hatdi  Out  of  their 
own  crazy  brain,  and  whatever  things  they  dream,  under 
their  mental  maladies,  concerning  such  important  points, 
those  they  thrust  upon  the  ^orld,  not  being  teachers 
"  taught  of  God,"  but  taught  of  themsdves. 

But,  as  I  have  before  said,  in  this  delirious  error  of 
Eutyches,  the  unity  of  the  Person  is  sundered,  and  two 
persons  are  in  reality  made ;  the  one  of  the  Son  of  God, 
the  other  of  the  Son  of  the  Virgin.  But  yet,  this  error  is 
of  a  different  form  from  the  other.  For  Nestorius  so 
sunders  the  Person^  as  to  divide  and  separate  the  human 
natnre  from  the  divine ;  thus  tearing  apart  the  con^ 
junction  or  union,  and  making  of  each  nature  an  indivi- 
dually  separate  peirson,  to  be  considered  apart  by  itself; 
when  he  affirms,  that  it  was  only  the  separately  indivi- 
dual  man,  and  not  God,  that  is,  not  the  whcAe  Person, 
or  the  whde  Christ,  that  was  crucified.— On  the  <K)n- 
-trary,  Eutyches  separates  and  tears  the  divine  ns^H« 
from  the  human,  (and  thus  he  also  sunders  the  personal 


J15 

nrojnnctioa  or  uiiioni,  and  imaguussf  tvo4i»tiQCt  persona,) 
Tvhile  he  contends  tJ^t  God  (that  is,  Christ  sep^ratf 
from  the  human  natore)  and  not  man,  is  to  be  wcnt- 
jshipped* 

But,  the  prophetTc  and  apoatolic  scripture)  and  pur 
4Creed  and  confession  of  faith,  teach  us  thus-— rThc^t  we, 
when  we  worship  Christ  bom  of  the  Virgin,  that  is,  tl^ 
Man  [Christ],  do  not  wcHrship  any  pure  (as  their  term  is) 
^AEd  mere  man,  one  different  from  the  Son  of  God,  or  ft 
-perscm  wlio  is  distinct  and  apart  from  God,  or  to  ^ 
'worshipped  out  of  and  besides  God;  but,  that  we 
^worship  die  eternal,  true,  One  God,  who,  with  th^ 
.Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  is  One  eternal  God  ;  and 
-one,  who,  by  taking  into  union  with  himself  the  hufidiap 
nature  from  the  Virgin,  is  One  Person,  or  One  Clurist; 

Whoso  has  notihe  true  understanding  of  this.aiiticle 
of  0ur  faith,  or  this  doctrine  concerning  the  Son  of  God, 
must  of  necessity  wander  as  in  the  open  sea,  away  froQi 
^ke  aeoise  and  meaning  of  the  prophetic  and  apostolic 
acr^^tures :  nor  can  he  ev^  rightly  judge  of  those  terms 
and  expressions  concerning  Christ,  which  are  used  in 
.'different  forms  in  different  places.  How  often,  in  the 
prophets,  is  the  Messiah  caJUed  the  "  servant''  of  God  ? 
as  in  Isaiah  xlii.  i,  ^^  Behold  my  servant — in  whom  my 
aoul  delishteth,''  &c.  And  chap.  lii.  iS,  *'  Behold  my 
servant  shall  deal  prudentiy,"  &c  And  what  shall  we 
•eay,  when  he  is  even  called  ^  a  worm?"  as  when  he 
■speaks  of  himself,  Ps,  xxii,  6,  "  Btit  I  am  a  worm  and 
no  man,"  &c-  And,  (what  may  appear  to  be  far  more 
absurd  and  dreadful,)  he  is  even  called  a  sinner,  Ps.  xli. 
4,  ^^  I  said,  Lord,  be  merciful  unto  me,  heal  my  soul,  for 
'i  have  sinned  against  thee : "  that  is,  I  am  made  a 
dinner  and  guflty  befcM'e  thee.  And  again.  Psalm  Ixix.  5, 
^-  O  God,  thou  knowest  my  foolishness,  and  my  sins 
are  not  hid  from  thee,"  And  directly  afterwards,  "  Tiie 
Teproadhes  of  them  that  reproached  thee  are  fallen  upon 
me."  And  again.  Psalm  xl.  12,  ^*  Innumerable  evils 
Aiave  jcmnpassed  me  about ;  mine  iniquities  have  taken 
kidd  v^n  me,  so  diat  I  am  not  able  to  look  iup^:   they 

V  2 


Sl6 

are  mdre  than  the  hairs  of  my  head ;  therefore  iny  heut 
failethme." 

But  here,  the  widdom  of  human  reason,  the  Jews, 
and  the  Mahometans,  seem  to  themselves  to  do  rightly, 
when  they  cry  out — *  How  can  these  things  be  under- 
stood concerning  God,  or  the  divine  Person!  -  Howcan 
'it  be,  that  he  who  is  God  should  be  a  servant !  And  how 
can  it  possibly  be,  that  he  should  be  a  sinner !  Who 
among  men  would  not  be  astounded,  and  feel  his  ears 
and  mind  horror-struck,  at  the  mention  of  things  so  ab- 
surd and  awful !  What  race  of  men  more  stupid  or 
more  execrable  did  the  whole  world  of  nature  ever  pro- 
duce, than  those  who  call  themselves  Christians  !  '—For 
there  are  no  monsters  so  terrible  and  deadly  as  Chris- 
tians, in  the  judgment  of  those  wise  ones,  those  mighty 
saints.  And  they  imagine,  that  they  alone  are  men  in- 
deed, because  they  do  not,  as  we  do,  worship  the  crea- 
ture, but  God  himself  the  Creator. 

The  reality  of  the  matter  however  stands  thus. — 
This  is  no  wonderful  doctrine  sprung,  and  brought  from, 
the  deep  wisdom  of  man,  as  if  dug^  as  it  were,  out  of 
dArkness-and  the  abyss  of  a  Trophonian  cave;  nor  from 
the  Jewish  puddles  the  Talmuds,  from  which  they  drew 
their  schemhampheres ;  nor  from  the  chambers  of  the  Ma- 
hometan brothel,  in  which  that  filthy  fellow,  who  dared 
to  call  hirbself  a  prophet  of  God,  exerted  himself  so 
lustily,  that  he  even  gloried,  with  a  brazen  brow  and  ob- 
scene mouth,  that  he  received  from  his  god  (that  is,. the 
the  devil,  the  pritace  of  this  world,)  such  a  supply  of 

masculine  strength  that would  not  suffice  for  one 

night !— O  holy  teacher  !  O  pure  example  of  chastity ! 
The  whole  of  whose  book,  the  Alcoran,  every  where 
tastes  and  stinks  of  his  filth,  worse  than  any  common 
shore ;  and  plainly  declares,  upon  its  very  face,  that  he 
derived  his  prophetic  spirit  from  no  other  source  than 
from  the  stinking  and  abominable  retreats  of  the  Bac« 
ehanalians.  If  a  inan  then  hear  such  teachers,  and 
spetid  his  time  in  reading  such  books  as  those,  what 
wonder  is  it,  that  he  should  know  nothing  rightly  either 


317 

concerning!  God;  6r  the  Mesdiah/^  uihen  the  teaehen 
themselves  know  n^her  their  outi  I  doctrines  nor  their 
own  lives ! 

We  however,  who  follow  the  Son  of  God  as  our 
teacher,  (wh6m  the  eternal  Father  himself  commanded 
to  be  heard,  by  the  most  certain  testimonies,  and  by  a 
voice  from  beaVen,)  wiell  knoUr/that  this  Messiah  is  the 
imly  and  the  co-eternal  Son  of  Xhe  eternal  Father,  who 
was  sent  into  the  world,  and  who  assmned  human  nature, 
that,  by  the  wrath  of  God  being  l|ud  upon  him,  he  might 
become  an  atonement  and  sacrifice  for  our  sins,  and 
might  destroy  sin  itself  and  death  in  us :  as  Isaiah  liii.  6, 
plainly  saith,  "  AH  we  like  sheep  have  gone  astray,  we 
have  turned  every  one  to  his  own  way :  and  the  Lord 
hath  laid  on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all."  And  again, 
ver.  10,  "  Thou  shalt  make  his  soul  an  offering  for  sin." 

Since,  therefore,  this  is  sure  and  certain ;  we,  with 
joyful  hearts,  glory  and  preach  that  the  Son  of  God,  the 
one  true  God  togethier  with  the  eternal  Father  and  the 
Holy  Ghost,  was  made  a  man,  a  servant,  a  worm,  a  re- 
proach among  men,  and  a  sinner,  or,  as  •  Paul  speaks, 
sin,  and  a  curse,  for  us  ! .  And  we  also  rightly  and  with 
a  godly  and  pious  confession  say,  that  God  died  for  us; 
that  God  was  crucified  for  us;  that  God  bore  our  sins  in 
his  own  body ;  and  that  God  redeemed  us  with  his  blood. 
For  here,  God  and  mim-  are  one  Person,  or,  the  divine 
and  human  natures  are  united  in  one  Person ;  and 
Christ  is  truly  God  and  man.  Therefore,  whatsoever 
die  Man  does,  suffers,  and  says,  the  same  does  the  eternal 
God  truly  do,  suffer,  and  say.  And  again,  whatsoever 
the  God  does  and  says,  the  same  does  the  Man  do  and 
say  also :  that  is,  the  Son  of  the  eternal  God,  and  of  man 
or  the  virgin,  is  one  undivided  Person,  though  the  natures 
are  distinct 

These  things  I  say,  are  to  us  firm  and  sure,  how 
much  soever  they  may  be  offended  at  theni,  who  will 
not:  hear  the  word  of  God  ;  and  how  furiously  soever 
either  Satan  himself,  or  that  filthy  tool  of  his,  that  patron 
of  pimps  and  brothels,  Mahomet,  or  our  Schemhampherist 
Jews,  may  rail  and  maUciously  blaspheme :  who  shall 


918 


all,  ere  loiig,  aflnre  tbt  pohUhitieiit  df  tinm  likipnii^, 
their  obscenity,  and  their  blaspheming  mouths,  in  the 
lowest  hell. 

"DUT  however,  iQt  us  now  draw  to  a  Cmido* 
sion  this  treatise  on  the  testimonies  of  the 
prophetic  scriptures,  relative  to  thi$  article  of  doctrine, 
concerning  the  Persons  in  the  God-^head,  and  the  Son  of 
God»  And  I  hope  I  have  by  these  my  admohitifHis  at 
least  wrought  this  effect  upon  those  who  read  the  text  of 
the  scripture  in  its  own  language,  and  who  wish  to  nnder- 
^tand  the  Hebrew  rightly,  and  profitably — ^that  they  will 
be  deterred  from  following  the  corruptions  of  the  Rabbins ; 
imd  will  again  wrest,  as  it  were,  the  true  sense  of  die 
^riptnres  from  their  hands,  (especially  in  those  p]BJbdA 
which  agree  with  all  the  testimonies  concerning  tl]^  Sou 
of  God,)  assert  them  by  force,  and  restore  them  to  their 
original  purity )  and  that  they  will  not  at  all  bear  with 
their  vilely  vamped-up  and  forced  interpretations^  uhich 
they  have  thus  audaciously  formed  out  td  thentiselves 
from  a  system  of  ,grammar  which  is,  in  many  instances, 
entirely  of  their  own  fabricating. — For  they  often  greatly 
differ  from  each  other,  and  have  nothing  certain  to  hold 
by :  apd^  wherever  they  can,  they  endeavour  in  words 
and  sentences  to  seek  out  an  ambiguity  or  equivocatioD 
of  some  kind  or  other,  which  may  enable  them  to  Wrest 
the  meaning  to  their  own  deKriums,  even  when  the  sense 
t)f  the  w  hole  context  beautifully  aecords  Willi  the  doctrine 
toontained  in  the  apostolic  w  ritings.  For  it  is  a  fixed  c^^ 
tainty  with  us,  that  this  our  Lord  J*estis  Christ  aione,  i« 
Lord  of  all :  to  whom  all  the  scripture  so  points,  as  to 
make  it  manifest,  that  it  is  concertiit^  hiiti  inost  espe- 
cially that  it  bears  testimony :  that  is,  that  it  was  on  ac- 
count of  him  alone  that  it  was  written  and  delivened. 

And  I  would  observe,  that  I  did  hot  think  it  kieces- 
Bary  to  bring  forward  more  authorities  out  xyf  the  INfew 
Testament  or  the  writings  of  the  apostles,  because  they 
are,  as  it  were,  an  interptetatrom  of  the  prophets,  and 
\vere  delivered  fair  that  very  p6rp6se,  atid  Sset  forth  that 
interpretation  in  the  clearest  words.     And  it  is  for  Ais 


51» 

^^rjf  rjIWQP  that  tj[^  J^ws  reject  tbos^  writiogif.  Tboyg)|| 
the  certainty  of  the  doctrine  contained  m  theCQ,  has  now 
i;>een  cqnfinped  by  the  most  incontrovertible  evidence^ 
for  above  fifteen  hundred  years.  And  the  gospel  oi 
^ohn,  especially,  is  so  full  of  testimonies,  that  you  ca^ 
scarcely  select  three  words  from  it,  wherein  this  Jesas^ 
God  and  Man  in  one  Person,  is  not  proclaimed* 

This  John  himself,  together  with  Paul  and  the  Other 
apostles  and  writers  of  the  gospels,  and  with  many  others 
ako  of  those  who  heard  them  and  received  their  doctrine 
from  them  and  delivered  the  same  to  posterity :  these, 
fdl,  I  say,  were  certainly  as  much  Jews  or  Israelites;^  and 
the  seed  of  Abraham,  and  born  of  his  blood,  and  much 
more  truly  so  by  manifest  testimonies,  than  these  last 
dregs  of  the  circumcised,  who  glory  that  they  are  Jewp 
and  Israelites,  but  of  whose  origin  no  certain  testimonies 
can  be  produced. — If  then,  we  consider  that  we  ought  to 
believe  the  testimonies  and  authorities  of  the  Jews  or 
Israelites,  how  much  rather  should  we  believe  those  who 
are  evidenced  to  have  be^n  true  Israelites,  and  who  now, 
for  above  fifteen  hundred  years,  have  sounded  forth  the 
voice  of  the  gospel  throughout  the  world,  and  by  it  have 
governed  all  the  churches  that  have  been  constituted ; 
who,  by  the  faith  and  confession  of  it,  have  overcome - 
Satan,  the  world,  sin,  and  death,  and,  through  an  espe- 
cial gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  have  interpreted  and  illus- 
trated the  prophetic  scriptures ;  and  who  themselves,  and 
whose  followers,  have  wrought  many  wonderful  works  in 
the  church  ?  We  shall  much  more  rightly,  I  say,  believe 
^uch  Israelites,  than  those  obscure,  new^-born,  bastard 
pnes ;  who,  at  least,  have  most  aw  fiilly  degenerated  from 
their  ancestors,  as  experience  evidently  proves ;  and  who 
throughout  the  whole  space  of  fifteen  hundred  yeai^s, 
have  been  proved  by  no  sign  or  testimony  of  any  mii^acle 
which  they  have  wrought.  Nor  have  Aey  thrown  aijiy 
Ught  upon  the  prophetic  scripture  by  their  interpreta- 
,tiQi^,  but  have  every  where  destroyed  it  by  manifest  (for- 
.ruptiiHis..  A^d,  in  a  word,  they  have  done  nothing  tJ^t 
;d^rves  pr^se,  either  in  the  kingdofo  or  church  of  God  ,* 


but  have,  C0tN!eaIed  in  the  secret  coverts  of  their  syiia* 
gopj^e^j  and  through  clandestine  wickedness,  envy,  and 
tthfty  as  the  sons  of  darkness,  thai  is,  of  Satan,  furiously 
Vaged  against,  and  destroyed,  all  sincere  and  real  Jews 
land  ■  Israelites,  that  is,  the  apostles  and  prophets,  with 
tying' arid- murderous  spirits,  with  the  most  atrocious 
anjd  virtitent  cuttings,  execrations,  blasphemies,  lies, 
nftirders  and  plunderings,  and,  as  far  as  in  them  lay, 
with  fire  and  sword ;  and  they  daily  increase  this  their 
fury,  and  as  it  were,  hand  our  blood  to  each  other  to 
drink,  till  they  shall  have  drunk  the  whole  of  it  up.— 
Hence  they  are  manifestly  found,  proved,  and  evidenced 
to  be,  not  Israel,  or  the  seed  of  Abraham,  but  a  de- 
generate and  bastard  race;  yea,  the  most  virulent,  the 
most  furious,  and  plainly  diabolical,  enemies  to  the  real 
Israelites  and  Sons  of  Abraham:  and  moreover,  destruc- 
tive robbers,  plunderers,  and  sacrilegious  corrupters  of 
the  prophetic' scripture^.  Wherefore,  the  holy  scripture 
Is  to  be  vindicated  and  wrested  from  their  sacrilegious, 
'plundering  and  destroying  hands,  wherever  we  can  be 
'assisted  by  the  simply  grammatical  construction  of  the 
text,  and  where  the  interpretation  can  be  accommodated 
with  propriety  to  the  sense  of  the  New  Testament. 
Which  form  of  interpreting  the  prophetic  scripture,  the 
'letters  of  the  Apostles  beautifully  teach  us,  and  that,  in 

many  striking  examples. 

'  •■■  ■      >■■■'.  ■••■■'  .        .  .     i-  • 

T  NOW,  therefore,  return  to  conclude  my  Expo- 
"'      •  .   sition  of  the  *'Last  words  of  David,"  ^ith 

which  I  at  first  commenced;  that  thus  the  end,  as  a 
'  iSproHary ,^  may  be  connected  with  the  beginning.  For  I 
^hiave  now  digressed  to  a  sufficient  extent;  and  others  will 
'  I  hope?,  after  my  example,  pursue  the  subject  more  exten- 
'  siveiy  and  better  than  I  have  done ;  and  will  diligently, 
-ahd"  profitably  exhibit  Christ  our  Lord,  out  of  the 
"scrJptutfes  of  tte  Old  Testament!  And  there  is  no  doubt, 

thia^  hfe  will  easily  and'  spontaneously  exhibit  himself, 
•  and  ndturally  shbw  himself  *f0rth,'fespeeially  in  the  Psalms 

atid^ii  I^aidh.^  Only  attismpt  the  undertaking,  according 


to  the  ruk  for  inteipretitig  that  I  hkve  laid  down/ and 
thoii  wilt :  say  I  am  ^  right,  and  wilt  rejoice  and  give 
thanks  nnto  God. 

'  I  observed,  th^n,  at  the  beginning  of  this  exposition 
of  the  "  Last  words  of  David,'^  that  they  may,  by  a 
godly  and  Christian  translation  and  interpi^tation,  be 
rendered  thus  : 

David  the  Son  of  Jesse  saidj  the  man  who  was  con- 
firmed  concerning  the  Messiah  of  the  Cfod  of  Jacobs 
'ftveet  in  the  Psalms  of  Israel,  said.  The  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  spake  by  me,  and  his  Word  was  on  my  tongue.  The 
God  of  Israel  said  to  me,  the  rock  of  Israel  spake  to  me, 
he  that  is  a  just  ruler  among  men,  ruling  in  the  fear 
of  God. 

There  are  here,  as  I  observed  before,  Three  Persons 
speaking,  "The  spirit  of  the  Lord,"."  The  God  of 
Israel,"  and  " The  Rock  of  Israel;"  and  yet,  it  is  the 
same  .God  speaking.  But  there  is  added  a  description 
of  that  Person  who  is  called,  "The  rock  of  Israel," 
** The  riiler  among  men,"  and  the  ruler  "in  the  fear  of 
the  Lord."  This  ruler  is,  without  doubt,  the  Messiah; 
as  it  is  interpreted  in  the  Chaldee  or  Syriad  version. 
And,  in  the  Hebrew  text,  theiie  words,  "  Rock  of  Istael" 
and  "just  Ruler,"  or,  just  "  Ruler  among  men,"  and  a 
"  Ruler  in  the  fear  of  God,"  are  joined  together.-^  And  it 
is  certain  that  the  true  God  himself  is  called,  and  is,  the 
Rock  of  Israel ;  which,  in  the  Hdbrew^  is  Zur,  and  is 
used  in  many  other  places,  and  especially  in  the 'Psalms, 
-and  applied  to  God,  as  when  it  is  often  said,  "  the  Lord 
my  strength,"  &c-  '■  And  here  also,,  the  Messiah  is  called 
by  this  name;  that  is,  the  man  who  is  the  ruler,  w 
ruliqg  in  the  feiar  of  the  Lord.  For  this  word  in  the 
Hebrew  is  Mos-el:  which  is  not  a, name  that  is  pro- 
perly, ascribed  to  the  divinity,  to  the  Lord  or  Jehovah, 
but,  signifies  a  lord  .  or  master;  as  we  call  those  men 
lords  who  are  in  authority,  and  who  are^  intrusted  with 
any  government.  And  wherever  you  read  this  term  ats 
applied  to  Gcid,  you  may  safely  and  rightly  understand 
"it  as*  tefarmg  tb  Jesus  Christ  ^ the  Son' ra  God.     As 


9tt 

VKhen  Gideon  saith,  Ju(^es  viii.  SS,  ^^  I  wUl  opt  rok 
Qv^r  you,  neither  shall  my  son  rule  over  you:  the  Loid 
shall  rule  over  you/'  And  also  Psalm  xxiu  28,  ^*  For 
Ihe  kingdom  is  the  Lord's,  and  he  is  the  governor 
among  die  nations/'  And,  *^  The  God  of  Jacob  ruletb 
throughout  all  the  earth."  And  so  also  Micah  v.  2,  it  is 
said  in  the  clearest  ivords,  concerning  Christ  who  should 
be  bom  in  Bethlehem,  ^^  out  of  thee  shall  he  come  forth 
unto  me  that  is  to  be  ruler  in  Israel; "  as  thou^  the 
words  were  taken  from  this  very  passage  before  us.  And, 
Psalm  viii.  it  is  said  concerning  Christ,  ^'  Thou  madest 
him  to  have  dominion  over  the  works  of  thy  hands; 
thou  hast  put  all  things  under  his  feet : "  where  the  same 
thing  is  clearly  said  which  is  said  here, — that  he  (the 
Messiah,  the  man,  or  son  of  man,  to  whom  all  thmgs 
are  put  in  subjection,)  is  the  Rock,  (that  is,  God,)  a  just 
Ruler  (that  is,  Man^  and  among  men,)  oveir  all  the 
works  created  of  God:  which  certainly  is  nothing  else 
.than  to  be  equal  with  God,  or  truly  God,  and  yet,  to  be 
also  Man. 

And  when  David  saith  a  "just  ruler,"  or,  **  ruling  in 
the  fear  of  God,"  he  signifies  that  he  does  not  speak 
.concerning  any  political  or  human  righteousness;  but, 
that  he  is  speaking  of  another  and  eternal  righteousness, 
which  the  Messiah  the  Son  of  God  brings  into  the  world, 
and  by  which  he  delivers  us  from  sin  and  death,  and 
makes  us  righteous  before  God.  For  he  clearly  speaks, 
(as  the  words  that  follow  testify,)  concerning  an  eternal 
, treaty  or  covenant,  which  God  made,  with  David  mi 
his  house.  For  so  Isaiah  interprets  the  promise  made 
unto  David,  chap*  Iv.,  ^^  And  I  will  make  an  everlasting 
covenant  with  you,  even  the  sure  mercies  of  David. " 
And  so  Psalm  Ixxxix.  2,  ^  Mercy  shall  be  built  \\p  for 
-ever  in  heaven,'  (or,  eternal  mercy)  and  again,  ver.  1§) 
.**  My  mercy  wUl  I  keep  with  him  for  evermore,  and  my 
'Covenant  shall  stand  fast  with  him." 

.  Human  righteousness  in  political  government  is  fat 
too  weak  to  effect  all  this.  For  even  aiiter  it  has  dis- 
chai^ed  >all  its  duties  most  perfectly  {w,hicb  lioweirer  is 
very  xarely  Ihe  case)  in  the  midst  of  this  fainflifiii  oonfii- 


S8S 

fiion  of  die  worid,  yet  it  can  hardly  atoomplish  evea 
this»— the  maintainmg  of  proper  disciplitie  in  external 
tMxnety,  the  preserving  of  tranquillity,  the  restraining  df 
the  unruly,  die  preventing  of  injuries,  slau^ters,  injus- 
tice, plunderings,  thefts,  lusts,  &c*  And  afteif  ail,  this 
righteousness  does  not  recommend  us  to  God,  nor  make 
QS  righteous,  diat  is,  acceptable,  in  his  sight ;  though  it 
is  by  such  righteousness  that  our  morals  are  decendy 
r^ulated.  For  although  this  discipline  is  necessary,  yet, 
we  are  not  by  it  rendered  without  sin,  nor  do  we  satis^ 
the  law  of  God,  Yet  God  adorns  this  diligence  witn 
many  great  rewards  in  this  corporcd  life ;  with  wealdi, 
^ory,  victories,  power,  prosperity,  &c. :  which,  although 
they  are  gifts  of  God,  and  necessary  for  this  life,  yet, 
before  him  they  are  insignificant,  that  is,  frail  and 
quickly  perishing  things,  which  he  often  bestows  more 
abundandy  upon  his  enemies,  than  upon  his  heirs  that 
fear  hinl ;  for  which  latter  there  is  laid  up  another  far 
more  great  and  eternal  reward  that  is  wholly  unknowa 
to  the  world. 

Therefore,  that  futile  and  wholly  vain  interpretation 
of  the  Rabbins,  and  of  those  who  follow  them,  is  wholly 
to  be  rejected.  I  mean  of  those  who  imagine,  that 
David  says  these  things  concerning  himself — that  his 
government  or  ruling  would  be  just,  and  his  administra- 
tton  in  die  fear  of  God,  because  he  was  anointed  of  God 
to  be  king  and  ruler.  But  it  is  a  far  other  just  ruler 
rnhng  in  the  fear  of  God,  that  is  here  promised.  For 
David  in  all  his  government  never  made  any  one  sinde 
man  just,  nor  fearing  God ;  nay,  not  even  himself.  Nor 
did  ever  Moses  himself  do  it,  who  was  the  institutor  of 
:die  law  and  the  political  economy,  as  Paul  affirms 
Horn.  iii.  But,  all  those  that  were  ever  righteous,  and 
that  ever  feared  God,  were  made  righteous  and  brought 
tNi  fear  God  by  this  Lord  or  Ruler,  Jesus  Christ,  the 
Mes&iah,  or  Rock  of  Israd ;  as  the  prophet  Zechariah 
mith  concerning  this  King,  ^^  Behold  thy  King  comedi 
unto  diee,  he  is  just  and  having  salvation  ;  lowly,  and 
riding  upon  an  ass,"  &c.  chap.  ix.  9*  And  Paul,  1  Cor. 
i.  !S0,  saith  that  he  is  made  unto  us  ^^  wiadraQ,  iig|it- 


5S4 

eousnesS)  sanctification,  add  redemptioh :  that,  accord- 
ing  as  it  is  imtten,  He  that  glcmeth:  let  him  glory  in  the 
Lord : "  (not  in  his  own  righteousness  and  wisdom,  ftc) 
For  this  is  the  government  of  this  King,  and  it  wasior 
this  that  he  was  constituted  ruler ; — that  he  might  work 
these  divine  works  in  men ;  that  is,  might  make  them 
righteous  and  holy,  and  obedient  unto  God  ;  and  that  he 
might  at  length  restore  that  state  of  innocency  from 
which  we  fell  by  and  through  the  fall  of  our  first  parents, 
who  were  driven  to  it  by  tne  devil. 

It  is  concerning  this  righteousness,  and  this  feax  of 
God,  that  that  doctrine  is  delivered  to  us  which  is  held 
forth  in  the  church  of  God,  and  which  ought  to  be 
thoroughly  known  by  all  godly  people — that  it  is  for  the 
sake  of  this  Lord,  Jesus  Christ,  through  mere  mercy, 
by  faith,  and  not  for  our  own  virtues  and  worthiness, 
that  we  are  made  righteous ;  that  is,  acceptable  unto 
God,  and  heirs  of  eternal  life. — It  now  follows  in  .the 
words  of  David, 

And  he  shall  be  as  the  light  of  the  morning  when  the 
sun  ariseth,  even  as  a  morning  without  clouds  ;  when  the 
tender  grass  springeth  out  of  the  earth  by  clear  shining 
after  rain. 

Here,  he  compares  the  rule  or  kingdom  of  the  Mes- 
siah, who  shdl  re-establish  and  restore  righteousness 
and  the  fear  of  God,  to  the  gladdening  and  lovely  time 
of  spring ;  wherein,  the  world,  after  the  dull  and  gloomy 
scene  of  a  long  winter,  begins  to  open  forth  its  beauties 
again,  and  to  cheer  every  kind  of  living  creature  by  its 
new  appearance.  For  while,  during  the  winter,  the  sun 
is  far  removed  from  us,  the  earth  is  as  it  were  shut  out 
and  confined  by  cheerless  frost,  ice,  and  snow.;. the  . 
trees  wear  a  miserable  aspect,  being  stripped  of.  tbeir 
foliage  and  verdure,  and  every  thing,  that  jgrbws  out  of 
the  earth  lies  torpid;  there  is  no  trace  of  any;  thing 
flowery  or  verdant  any  where  to  be  seen ;  no  firuits  shew 
themselves ;  and  the  whole  world  is,  as  it  were,  dead. — 
But  as  soon  as  the  spring  begins  to  appear,  the  sun  now 
coming  nearer  to  us,  opens  the  earth,  which  then  smiles 


3S5 

with  a  newc  and  lovely  aspect,  and' the  whole  wotld 
seems,  ast  it  were,  to  arise  from  the  dead.  For  all  ever 
G!dti^der,' that  the  spring  is  the  most  delightful  time  of 
the  year :  as  the  poet  sings, 

Now  every  tree  its  leafy  pride  resumes, 

And  the  year's  loveliest,  seasbn  smiles  around.    ^ 

:  And  there  are  many  who  have  been  of  opinion,  and 
have  said,  that  it  was  in  this  season  of  the  year  that  the 
wcrld  wa?  first  created :  and  that  agrees  also  with  the 
scriptures,  .which  make  the  vernal  month,  that  is,  our 
March  or  April,  to  be  the  first  month  of  the  year. 
-  In  like  maimer  also,  the  kingdom  of  grace  peculiar 
to  this  Ruler  brings  to  us  the  all-gladdening  and  plenteous 
time  ^  of  spiritual  delight ;  wherein,  this  Messiah  freely 
gives  >  unto  us  righteousness  and  the  fear  of  God ; 
whereby  we,  as  green,  flourishing,  and  fragrant  plants, 
grow  up  in  him  and  bring  forth  fruit.  For  he  is  our  sun 
of  righteousness,  which  now  comes  near  unto  us  that  he 
might  shed  upon  us  his  light  and  life ;  as  it  is  said  in 
Malachi,  ^^  But  unto  you  that  fear  my  name,  shall  the 
sun  of  righteousness  arise  with  healing  in  his  wings." 

And  that  he  might  do  all  these  things  by  signs,  it 
was  his  will,  to  abolish  death  and  to  begin  this  his  king- 
dom of  a  new  and  eternal  righteousness  by  his  resurrec- 
tion, in  the  time  of  spring,  when  all  nature  returns  to 
Kfe:  whereas  before,  he  was  bom  into  the  world  in  the 
middle  of  winter :  which  was  to  signify,  that  he  under- 
took for  our  sakes  the  dark  and  dreadful  burden  of  sin, 
misery,  and  death,  to  which  the  human  race  were  sub- 
jected: and  he  bore  the  tempestuous  season  of  this 
winter  for  upwards  of  thirty-thiee  years. 

For  as,  in  this  prophetic  description,  by  the  time  of 
^ring  is  signified  the  saving  and  life-giving  time  of  the 
grace  of  God,  which  has  dawned  upon  us  through  the 
Messiah  the  Son  of  God :  so,  on  the  contrary,  by  the 
time  of  winter  the  opposite  is  signified :  that  is,  the  time 
of  the  wrath  of  God  under  sin,  into  which  the  whole 
human  race  have  been  plunged  by  nature  since  the  time 
of  i  their  first  parents,  by  tmir  fall.     And  God,  under 


986 

11ms  order  of  the  times  and  aeaMms,  hu  Mi  k  lim 
shadowed  and.  set  forth  sknilititdea,  whereby,  to  pioMBt 
unto  U8  these  difterent  states  of  sm  and  grade ;  that  vs 
might,  by  the  different  changes  of  the  eeascms,  be  can- 
tinually  reminded  of  these  things  until  the  last  day, 
(when  there  sh^dl  be  another  and  a  new  heaven  and  li: 
earth,  and  another  order  of  things,)  and  that  we  mi^t  U 
thus  be  brou^t  to  think  upon  these  great  matters^  luid  |? 
team  to  make  a  practical  use  of  them  each  day  of  car 
•lives.— And  may  God  grant,  that  oar  eyes  and  ean 
jnay  be  attentive  to  the  admonitions  which  the  aeascm 
thus  afford  us. 

According  therefore  to  this  spiritual  representation 
of  things  contained  in  the  changes  of  the  seasons,  Adam, 
the  first  of  the  human  race,  may  rightly  be  said  to  have 
;iirst  lived  in  the  allrdelightful  time  of  spring;  (aeeing 
.that,  he  was  created  in  the  very  time  of  spring,  es  being 
;the  time  .in  which  the  worid  dso  was  fii^t  made;)  but, 
by  sin,  he  cast  himself  into  the  dreadful  time  of  winter, 
until  God,  by  this  all-gracious  sun,  his  dear  Son^  dispe&ed 
the  awful  winter,  and  restored  this  new  spring,  and  agak 
established  an  eteilial  church,  which  he  still  goes  on  to 
gather  together,  that  it  may  hereafter  live  in  we  eternal 
-enjoyment  of  God.  And  now  this  wonderful  change, 
•or,  as  the  Psalm  speaks,  these  years  of  die  right  hand 
of  the  Most  High,  have  begun,  he  who  lives  in  Ais  new 
and  eternal  spring,  shall  never  die:  and,  he  who  dies  in 
that  dreadful  winter,  shall  never  live :  that  is,  as  Christ 
.aaith,  ^'  He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized,  shall  be  saved: 
-but  he  that  believeth  not,  shall  be  damned/'  For,  cm 
the  latter,  that  eternal  sun,  concerning  which  David  here 
'Speaks,  is  gone  down  and  has  set  for  ever:  biit,  on  die 
former,  he  arises  and  shines  in  his  eternal  light. 

Nor  is  this  the  only  thing  that  is  intended  by  this 
^mention  of  the  spring  and  the  winter :  but  it  more  es- 
pecially refers  to  that  great  secret  of  the  prophetic  doc- 
trine,— that  the  kingdom  or  dominion  of  the  Messiah^ 
•would  not  be  like  the  political  economy  of  Moses.  For 
that  polity  and  government  of  Moses,  Ls  the  ministration 
^  the  law;  by  which,  sin  is  not  only  not  taken  away, 


say 

but  is  realty  incrisased ;  pr^  as  Paul  saith^  becomes  ^^  ex^ 
iMediog  sinfal."  Because,  the  law  shows  how  great  and 
terrible  sin  is;  and  men  by  it  are  accused  and  con- 
demned ;  and  being  by  it  cast  into  horrid  fears,  diey  not 
only  begin  to  hate  the  judgment  of  God,  and  the  law 
Hadf,  by  the  sentence  of  which  they  feel  themselves  so 
condemned  and  killed,  but  also  flee  away  from  God;  as 
Paul  wonderfully  and  copiously  sets  forth  this  office  of 
the  law,  and  the  effects  of  it 

This  is  indeed  to  stand  at  the  £30t  of  Mount  Sinaj^ 
^ile  it  horribly  shakes  and  trembles  with  thunderings 
and  li^tnings,  being  made  to  rock  from  its  foundation ; 
•and  while  there  is  such  a  terror  produced  all  around, 
Aai  it  seems  as  if  heaven  and  earth  were  rushing  toge- 
ibet.  And  in  truth  the  light  and  rays  of  tixe  sun  were 
darkened  with  far  more  heavy  and  thick  clouds  than  if 
k  had  been  in  the  middle  of  the  freezing  winter,  though 
It  was  then  the  time  of  spring  to  this  visible  woiid  when 
the  li^t  of  the  sun  occasionally  beams  forth ;  but,  at 
ihat  time,  he  was  so  far  removed  that  his  rays  iiad  no 
effect  whatever. — So  the  nations  and  the  ungodly,  who 
a:re  wkhout  the  law,  and  lie  buried  in  the  winter  under 
their  sins,  live  in  greater  security^  and,  as  they  imagine 
to  themselves,  far  more  happily  than  the  people  of 
Odd ;  because  they,  even  in  the  time  of  their  spring,  en- 
thnre  the  terrible  tempests  of  law  terrors,  whi<:h  are  as 
thunderings  and  lightnings.  For  when  that  all-fair  sun, 
Christ  the  Son  of  God,  does  not  shine  into  their  minds 
with  his  splendour,  they  have  none  of  the  joys  of  the 
spring  to  delist  or  refresh  them ;  but  Moses  fills  all 
things  with  terror  and  death  by  the  h^avy  tempest  of  his 
law.  Thus,  the  storms  and  tempests  which  variously 
infest  this  our  air  and  atmosphere,  are  to  us  as  perpetual 
prophets  and  teachers,  shewing  us,  that  it  is  the  same 
with  the  minds  and  consciences  of  men^  and  that  the 
godly  are  often  thus  overwhelmed  with  the  terrors  of  the 
law ;  who,  nevertheless,  as  Paul  saitfa,  are  not  under  the 
law,  but  under  grace. 

But  however,  as   David  saith,  after  the   times  of 


3S8 

Moses  and  the  Prophets  that  joyful  time  of  the  Mes- 
siah succeeds,  when  the  Zur,  or  Rock  himself  of 
Israel  reigns,  that  he  might  by  bis  free  bounty  plenti- 
fully 4)eBtow  upon  us  righteousness  and  eternal  lue.  This, 
I  say,  is  that  delightful  and  joyful  season,  when  the  whole 
face  of  things  is  changed,  as  in  the  spring,  to  a  new  and 
all-gladdening  aspect ;  when,  before  the  clear  shining/ 1 
senial  shower  has  fallen  ;  that  is,  when  the  sweet  aijd 
healthful  voice  of  the  Gospel  is  heard,  and  afterwaids 
the  sun  himself,  Christ,  arises  in  our  hearts,  and  they  are 
raised  up  and  enabled  to  receive  the  consolation/ the 
clouds  and  storms  of  Moses,  together  with  the  Uion- 
derings  and  lightnings  of  his  law,  being  whc^ly .  (Ssr  , 
pelled. — Hereupon,  all  things  truly  look  green,  floiuifll^ 
and  blossom.  There  is  a  new  light,  and  a  day  full  of 
new  joy,  gladness,  and  life ;  like  unto  which,  there  is  no. 
time  in  the  whole  of  this  world's  year.  Now,  all  that 
tempest  and  winter  of  clouds,  thundeiings,  sin,  death. 


and  all:kinds  of  terrors,  are  overcome,  dispertedy 
utterly  disappear;  and  there  arises  an  all-clear  rand' id)- 
.gladdening  day  of  a  new  and  eternal  .Passover, 'or  of 
•victorious  rejoicing  in  our  tisen,  living,  and  eternally 
•reigning  Lord. 

This  is  what  David  means,  when  he  says,  that  the 
government  of  the  Messiah,  his  Son,  is  like  unto  that 
spring  day,  when,  after  a  morning  of.  copious  and 
genial  rain,  the  sun  rises  with  a  sweet  serenity,  and 
shines  forth  and  clothes  all  things  with  verdure  and 
beauty.  And  among  many  other  testimonies,  Lactantius 
thus  describes  the  time  of  the  resurrection  of  Christ, 

Behold  !  the  beauties  of  the  new-bom  world. 
Bright  from  the  bosom  of  the  spring,  declare,- 
That  all  creation. with  its  God  revives  ! 
f         For,  as  Christ  rises  from  the  dreary  graeve,    • 
'  ^     Each  tree  in  foliage  smiles.;  each  waiting  bud 
Bursts  into  bloom,  to  hail  its  risen  Lord 
Triumphant  o'er  tihe  dismal  realms  of  death!  / 


329 

For  my  house  is  not  so  before  God :  because  he  hath 
tade  with  me  an  everlasting  covenant  ordered  in  all 
iiMgs  and  sure. 

It  has  been  before  bbserved,  that  the  meanmg  of 
lese  words  is  the  same  as  that  which  is  found  in 
;  Sam.  vii.  18,  "  Who  am  I,  O  Lord,  and  what  is  my 
ouse  ?  '*  As  thou^  he  had  said,  Surely  my  house  is 
ot  such,  nor  so  great,  that  it  should  in  the  eyes  of  God 
e  worthy  of  so  infinite  an  honour  and  blessing,  as  that 
le  Messiah  should  be  bom  from  it,  the  Rock  oJF  Israd, 
le  Son  of  God,  the  just  God,  the  just  ruler  among 
len ! — ^Thus,  in  these  words,  he  casts  himself  with  ail 
mnility  and  self-abasement  at  the  feet  of  God^  as  if 
stonished  at  so  wonderful  a  gift  of  God, — that  God 
lould  will  to  effect  such  mighty  things  from  his  flesh 
ad  his  Uood 

And,  with  respect  to  the  everlasting  covenant,  and 
le  house  of  David,  and  how  this  promise  was  fulfilled 
I  ftts  house,  upon  these  things  I  have  spoken  with  suf- 
dent  fulness  in  another  work,  which  I  wrote  concerning 
le  Jews  and  their  shameless  lies :  and  perhaps  some 
ther  occasion,  besides  the  present,  may  offer  for  saying 
lore  upon  that  subject 

But  those  Hebrew  terms  aruch a  and  semura,  which 
refound  in  this  place,  are  not  made  use  of  to  no  purpose : 
le  former  dF  which  signifies  *  ordered,'  or,  *  rightly  or- 
i^red  in  all  things : '  the  latter  signifies,  ^  kept  sure  and 
ife,'  or,  ^  become  sure  and  established  by  fact  and 
bservation.'  These  words,  I  say,  are  added  purposely 
oth  for  doctrine  and  consolation*  For.  if  one  take  a 
iirsory  view  only  of  the  history  of  the  events  relative  to 
le  people  of  God,  or  the  political  Israel,  and  consider 
lem  just  as  they  present  themselves  at  first  sight,  as  it 
ere,  it  will  seem,  as  to  first  appearance,  that  what  is 
ere  so  grandly  declared,  was  by  no  means  performed  to 
lat  people.  Nay,  reason  and  human  wisdom  wiH 
idge  just  the  contrary ; — that  God  utterly  forgot  his 
>venant,  and  did  nothing  that  he  had  promised ;  seeL 
lat,  there  are  so  many  scenes  of  confusion,  trouble,  ani 

VOL.    II.  z 


sso 

civil  in  diis  very  hoHse  of  David  itself^  to .  say  tirittimg 
about  the  whole  of  his  posterity.  And  yst  mat  hoofl^ 
until  the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  was  not  only  Jiptml^ 
vbible  to  external  observation,  but  beautifully  continued 
in  all  its  established  order  and  ordinance,  and  mdained 
so  proof  against  all  the  opposition  of  devils  wndwim, 
that  it  could  not  be  overturned  by  any  oile^  nor  emn  ot- 
tered; bot.fdl  were  compelled,  even  against  theuririBi; 
!to  leave  thatpoUiicdl  economy,  or  the  ao^ptre  ofJttdsh, 
as  It  was  first  instituted,  and  accocding  to  die  '*iiOid  "df 
the  divine  promise,  until  the  mani&statioh  af^C!fari&.    ' 

And,  if  you  look  at  the  visible  face  df  the  Idn^dolli 
.or  dhurdi  of  the  Messiioh,  as  to  its  appearatice  in  Ae 
Voild,  since  the  time  of  his  nranifisstadon,  thdm^'fril 
seem  to  be  still  greater  confoston  and  scattaritig';  'wmfjk 
triU  appear  feat  there  nenar  ^  Im  ordftr,  moie  dfr-  » 
traction  and  misery,  or  a  more  deplorable  state  *ap 
things  in  any  common  govisrmkient,  than  m  this^ldng-  > 
.d6m  of  the  Messiah  the  Son  of  God.  For,  on  the  eae 
hand,  tyrants  in  power  furiously  scatter  and  lay  k'wsste 
fay  fire,  sword,'and'cmelty  of  eveiy  kind.  Ami,  ba^ 
other  hand,  fanatics  and  authors  of  fiadse  doctrines  and 
sects  shamefiiUy  divide  and  sunder  it.  And  moreovfer, 
there  appear  in  the  lives  and  conduct  of  many  who:  pro- 
fess the  name  of  Christ,  an  opi^  >and  hardened  pre- 
sumption and  impurity.  So  diat,  as  I  before  observed^ 
in  no  government  does  there  appear  tt  more  iiikiou8 
jstate  of  things,  or  less  order,  than  in  diis  government 
■  For  all  those  external  enemies  that  I  have  mentioned, 
and  those  internal  members,  or  rather,  the  devil* inched), 
strives  with  all  his  mi^it,  that  this  dcmiinicm  of  Christ 
mi^ithe  uttearly  destroyed  and  brought  tx>  nouriit,  ortfe 
kept  in  a  state  of  the  utnaost  misery  and  turbuksnee. 

In  a  w6rd,  as  I  said,  Christ  appears  to  be  sudiia 
the  world,  as  if  he  felt  ho  concern  whatever -for  his 
Idngdom  and  government;  as  thou^  he  had  no  wi^ 
that  it  should  be  manifestly  seen  any  where;  and  taM 
it*  were  any  thing  but  a' kingdom  all^wisely  constttntad 
and  happily  administraited,'^  a3^ucha  and  i^uvKAf 
iasitisiiere  sakl.     And  yet,  it  is  true  that Mt  isitoeha 


931 

.  liiii|^oip  as  is  here  described :  amd'it  must  of  necesal^ 
«B9wer  to  bc^  these  terms  in  all  thiujgs  and  through  afi 
itangs.  And  although  it  does  pot  appear  to  be  so,  ac-^ 
cwdi&g  to  human  judgment  and  human  observation,  yet, 

J  ik^is  so  in  the  eyes  .of  him  who  dedares  concemiiig  this 
kkigdpm,  Song.  viii.  12,  ^^My  vineyard  which  is  nune 
U  'before  me."  And  also,  Matt  xxviii,  20,  ^^  And  la  1 
I^am  with  you  alway  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world;'' 
j4ndy  again  John  xvi.  33,  ^^Be  of  good  cheer,  I  hayei 
Mwco^ie  Ae  worii"^—  For,. when  those  who  fear  God 
emtemplate  the  church  through  all  this  series  of  time^ 
diey  .9ee,.and  themselves  experience,  that  there  ever 
pa%  and  still  exists  and  remains  among  the  hupian 
mm,  a  small  company  collected  together  by  the  power 
Urbich  is  from  above,  who  profess  and  worship  the  name 
of  Christ  in  true  &ith  and  godliness,  who  gp  on  to  spread 
ifaroad  the  true  doctrine  of  the  gospel  by  their  teaching 
aand  profession,  who  hold  the  true  use  of  the  sacraments 
and  of  the  *  Iceys '  of  the  church,  who  experience  the 
Holy  Spirit  working  effectually  in  them  by  his  illumina- 
tjy^ns  and  gifts,  and  who  stand  fast  in  this  kingdom  of 
the  Son  of  God,  invincible  against  the  gates  of  hell. — It 
jnow  follows — 

For  all  my  salvation  and  aU  my  desire  are  notiiing. 

If,  saith  he,  I  may  be  allowed  to  glory  at  all  in  my- 
self^'rr-I  am  a  king- appointed  of  God,  and  have,  a  dignity 
bestowed  upon  me  above  all  other  kings.  I  have  often 
coiukicted  wars,  in  which  I  have  fought  bravely .  and 
gained  signal  victories ;  and,  by  the  help  of  God,  have 
exf)erienced  many  wonderful  deliverances.  And  more-r 
over,  in  my  administration  of  government,  I  have, 
done  many  things  that  have  been  beneficial,  and 
that,  with  singular  success^  (This  is  what  he  means 
by  "my  salvation.")  I  have  diligently  governed  the 
state,  and  have  exerted  my  utmost  endieavours  that 
all  things  iQay  be  done  ri^tly  and  in  order,  and  that 
each  one  may. have  his  ri^t :  a^d  I  have  also  suffered 
many  things.  But  all  tms  gl(^,  not  of  my  govern^ 
ment  xmly,  hut  of  that  bdonging  to  all  other  kings  and 

z  2 


princes  leather,  when  compared  with  the  kingdcMn 
this  Lord,  the  Messiah,  the  Rock  of  Israel,  ttiy  Son,! 
that  shaH  be  born  of  my  seed,  is  nothing  as  it  were  hiH 
a  dry  tree  or  branch,  from  which  no  bud  or  shoot  can' 
ever  spring  forth. — For  no  king  of  all  the  human  race 
ever  was,  or  ever  will  be,  the  conqueror  and  destroyer  of 
those  evils,  sin,  death,  the  devil,  h6ll,  and  the  world. 
Nor  did  any  one  ever  effect  this  by  his  govemment-r-th* 
giving  to  his  citizens  the  blessings  of  righteousness,  thte 
fear  or  reverence  of  God,  and  eternal  life  and  felicity !  The 
government  of  us  all,  is  poor,  miserable,  dry  and  vain. 
But,  this  my  Son,  the  Messiah,  the  Rock  of  Israel,— hfe 
it  is,  I  say,  who  alone  triumphs  a  conqueror  over  death, 
sin,  hell,  the  world,  and  all  the  powers  of  adversaries. 
He  it  is,  whose  government  brings  with  it,  and  biestowSi 
this  on  all  his^ — the  making  them  righteous  before  God, 
and  giving  unto  them  eternal  life  and  blessedness.  And 
this  is,  indeed,  a  truly  flourishing,  prosperous,  and  fruit- 
ful kingdom,  which  never  withers  nor  decays. 

But  the  sons  of  Belial  are  all  of  them  as  thorns  des- 
tined to  be  thrust  away^  which  can?iot  be  gathered  with 
hands.  But  the  man  that  shall  pluck  them  out  must  be 
fenced  with  iron  and  spears;  so  that  they  shall  be  utterly 
burned  with  fire  in  their  own  place. 

Here  David  is  now  prophesying  concerning  his  own 
people  the  Jews,  the  greatest  and  most  powerful  part  of 
whom  would  not  receive  this  Lord  and  King,  the  Mes- 
siah. These  he  calk,  Hebraically,  *'  the  sons  of  Belial  f' 
which  signifies,  wicked  and  unprofitable  men,  who  are 
of  no  other  use  than  to  do  evil  and  hurt :  such  as  Paul 
caHs,  "  abominable  and  disobedient,  and  to  every  good 
work  reprobate : "  and,  who  in  every  government?  and 
political  institution  are  called  vagabonds,  and  pests  of 
the  human  race. 

Bat  David  is  here  speaking  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ: 
in  which,  sudi  is  thcappearance  of  things,  that  those 

'  who  are  the  enea^es  pf  this  Lord  and  the  most  noxious 
pests  to  \m  government,  are  such,  that  the.  world  would 

judge  than  to  be  tihie  best  of  characters,  the  mtost  holy, 


538 

K^ltfid  the  most  ben^cial  to  the  human  mce.    And  more? 
j*bvery  they,  are  found  among  that  very  company  who  ar^ 
*  .(railed  the  people  of  God,  and  more  especially  arrogate 
r  Jto  themselves  the  name  and  title  of  the  churchy  and  are 
I  judged  to  be  the  most  important  part  of  the  people  of 
?  .God,  being  exalted  in  power  and  authority,  and  in  a 
■  ,self-persuasion  of  their  great  wisdom  and  virtues.    And 
just  such  do  the  sect  of  the  Jews  and  Mahometans,  aa4 
the  Papists  among  us,  and  also  the  different  divisions 
;and  sects  of  fanatics,  seem  to  themselves  to  be;  imagining 
tthat  they  only  are  the  people  of  God,  and  beneficial  to 
tflie  world,  and  that  they  render  unto  God  a  most  solemn 
ivprship,  and  unto  the  world  a  most  signal  service,  when 
they  persecute  witli  all  their  power,  and  take  utterly  put 
:0f  the  land  of  the  living,  the  truly  godly  who  einbrace 
.the  name  find  doctrine  of  Christ.     Therefore,  they  hear 
nothing  with  more  indignation  than  their  being  called 
sons   of  Belial,   vagabonds,   and   reprobate:  for  they 
would  have  themselves  considered  and  proclaimed,  per- 
sons the  most  useful  and  beneficial  to  the  human  race. 

And  in  this  same  way  also  does  Jeremiah  speak  of 
the  false  prophets,  chap,  xxiii.  32,  "  with  their  profitimg 
they  shall  not  profit  my  people  at  all: "  that  is,  they  are 
most  destructive  in  that,  in  which  they  boast  themselves 
of  being  most  profitable.  In  a  word,  the  truly  godly 
who  embrace  Christ,  are  looked  upon  as  the  sons  of 
Belial  and  servants  of  the  devil,  while  these  are  con- 
sidered to  be  alone  the  sons  of  God ;  whatever  they  do 
is  judged  to  be  right  and  just,  and  they  have  the  appror 
.bation,  the  applause,  and  die  interest  of  the  whole 
world.  And  so  it  will  go  on,  until  God  sitting  to  judge 
them,  shall  cast  them  out  of  the  company  of  his  elect, 
and  consume  and  destroy  them  with  the  fire  of  his 
wrath  and  judgment:  as  was  proved  by  a  most. terrible 
example  in  those  last  dregs  of  the  Jewish  nation :  on 
whom,  as  Paul  saith,  the  wrath  of  God  came  unto  the 
Uttermost. 

David  adds,  moreover,  a  striking  similitude;  com- 
paring them  to  die  kinds  of  thorns  which  grow  up 
together  with  the  wheat  and  corn  in  the  fields;  (for  he 


dS4 

^till  carries  oil  die  cOttlip^tison  of  the  ^addening  and 
fruitful  time  of  spring.)  And  this  k  the  saine  kind  of 
we^ds  or  thorns  thlit  Christ  itaeans  when  he  calls  them, 
M/ith  reference  to  ^  this  passage,  "  tares  "  (JSzanid) : '  ft* 
althoudi  Ambrosias  interprets  this  word  as  sighifyit^  a 
kind  G?  degenerate  at  baistard  wheats  yet^  I  think  MBie- 
tfaing  wOi^e  than  that  is  here  intended  by  Christ;  thesis, 
that  he  means  some  kind  of  weed  or  thorli  thaX  is 
wpiarated  from  the  wheat  in  the  harvest  nrhen  ibe  i^eanres 
are  collected,  and  afterwards  burnt,  as  Chribt  sayi^; 
ti^herein,  he  e}tpresses  himself  exactly  accotditig  to  th 
%ords  oT  David,  who  i^ayd,  that  these  thorns  iSiall  le 
'  plucked  out '  from  the  rest,  and  afterwards  '  ttt^y 
blimed  with  fire.' 

I  understand  ZtztiniOy  therefore,  to  signify  the  saiite 
^  Koz  does  in  this  passage;  hamdy,  ihsk  mote  tt>d^, 
sharp,  and  prickly  kind  of  thorns  or  UiistleS,  which  gtot 
Among  the  wheat  itself,  and  which,  m  the  time  of  faarVe^ 
are  cut  up  separately  with  hooks,  and  afterwards  torn  up 
by  the  roots  with  rakes  and  harrows;  for  they  tarinot 
be  gathered  by  the  naked  hand,  nor  are  they  of  any 
other  use  than  to  light  the  fires  on  the  hearth ;  but  that 
zizania  which  they  call  bastard  wheat,  is  of  use  as 
fodder  for  cattle. 

Such  thorns  and  thistles  as  these  are  that  generation 
of  Jews  who  persecute  the  Messicdi  who  has  been 
manifested  by  the  most  signal  and  divine  testimonies; 
and  that  witn  such  fury  and  malite,  that  they  could  not 
be  turned  from  their  determination  by  any  goodness  of 
God,  nor  by  any  Wonderful  woiis;  nttt*  brought  to 
embrace  the  Son  of  God  ph)mised  and  given  unto  them, 
until  at  laist  the  Roman  armies  desh'oyed  thetn  with 
iarms,  fire,  sword,  and  slaughter.  Yet  eveh  now,  they 
fceasfe  not  to  bum  with  tage  whereVer  they  assemble 
together  in  their  conventicle,  tiiough  they  ate  no* 
miserable  exiles  under  the  flaming  Wrath  of  Gckli 

Thus,  then,  you  see  was  predicted  by  David,  the 
litter  destruction  of  that  people,  because  they  rgected 
this  their  Lord  and  King.  And  this  is  according  to  the 
words  of  Luke  also,  miext  he  s&ith,  xili.  d5,  "  Bdiirid 


335 

your  house  is  left  unto  you  desolate."  And  Daniel  ix., 
and  Zechariah  xiv.,  prophecy  of  the  same  destruction 
with  equal  clearness* 

Thus,  then,  have  I  sufficiently  dwelt  upon  my  expo- 
sition  of  THE    LAST   WORDS    OF    DaVID,  aCCOldiug  tO 

the  sense  that  I  put  upon  this  passage  of  the  scripture, 
and  for  which  I  have  given  my  reasons  at  the  beginning.-^— 
May  God  grant,  that  many  may  be  raised  up,  who  shall 
devote  themselves  to  the  doctrine  which  is  from  above, 
and  to  the  Holy  Scriptured;  and  who  shall,  from  the 
very  fountains  themselves,  restore  unto  us  a  more  pure, 
ana  the  genuine  and  mature  meaning  of  the  prophetical 
writings,  and,  as  it  were  by  a  happy  recovery,  wrest 
them  from  those  present  malignant  possessors,  the 
Rabbins  and  their  corruptions; — and  may  they  effect  it 
under  a  greater  and  more  abundant  influence  of  the 
Spirit  than  I  have  done.  And  this  they  will  do,  if  they 
do  not  devote  themselves,  as  sworn  disciples,  to  folio  win) 
the  Words  of  the  Rabbins  and  their  miserably  forces 
grammatical  cavillings  and  interpretations.  And  if  we 
seek  him  thus,  shall  we  be  able  to  find  and  know,  this 
our  Lord  and  Saviour  the  Son  of  God,  rightly,  truly, 
and  clearly. — ^To  whom,  with  God  the  eternal  Father 
and  the  Holy  Ghost,  be  all  glory  and  honour,  world 
without  end,  Amen ! 


I 


Errata  in  the  " Last  words  0/ David" 

n       lAT  1-      !•»   •       ^    r  For  all  my  salvation  and  all  my  desire 
Page  197,  hne  17.  tnsert,  |     ^  nothing. 

— -    264^  —  36,    —  /or  mutilated  r#a6?  imitated. 


X 


I 


THE 


THREE  CREEDS  OR  CONFESSIONS 


OF  THE 


CHRISTIAN  FAITH, 


USED  BY  FULL  CONSENT  IN  THE  CHURCH. 


Martin  "iLntbtt 


TO  THE  GODLY  BEADEtt. 


I 

Although  I  have  tau^t^and  writtea  informer  wcarks, 
very  many  things  cdnceming  theCHHisTiAK  Faith^ — 
what  il  is,  and  what  are  its  power  and  efficacy ;  aind 
although  I  have  published  to  the  world  my  Coi^ession 
of  Faith,  in  which  I  have  openly  testified,  what,  in  what, 
and  how,  I  believe,  and  in  what  articles  of  Faith  I  orest; 
yet,r  as  the  devil  continoally  goes  on  to  seek  oat  and 
plan  new  and  wonderful  devices  and  s(^)bistical  inven- 
ticms  against  me,  I  thought  I  would  also  collect  together 
in  one  little  bundle,  as  it  were,  these  three  Creeds  (as 
they  are  generally  called,)  or  Confessions  of  Faith,  and 
setid  them  forth  into  the  world :  as  they  are  those  which 
the  whole  Church  has  ever  hitherto  taught^  read,  and 
sung,  with  universal  Consent. 

Wherefore,  I  would  here  again  openly  testify,  that 
I  exactly  agree  in  faith  with  the  true  Christian  Church, 
which  has  all  along  with  universal  consent  taught  and 
held  these  Three  Creeds.  And,  on  the  other  hand,  that 
I  with  my  whole  soul  dissent  from,  and  abhor,  that  false 
hypocritical  church,  which  is  the  most  bitter  enemy  to 
the  true  Church  of  Christ,  and  which,  neglecting  and 
obscuring  thei^e  all  beautiftd  Creeds  or  Confessions,  has 
Introduce  a  multifarious  idolatry  into  the  Church.  In 
the  same  Way  it  was  also,  that  the  Israelites  ^of  oldy 
neglecting  the  true  worship  delivered  and  instituted  from 
above,  and  leaving  the  temple  of  God,  invented  a 
multiplex  idolatry  in  the  vallies,  on  the  mountains,  and 
under  the  trees;  and  yet,  still  arrogated  to  themselves 
the  title  of  the  true  people  of  God;  and  under  that 
pretext,  bitterly  persecuted  and  cruelly  murdered  the 
holy  prophets  Vho  openly  convicted  them  of  their  errors, 
and,  at  last,  the  Lord  Christ  Jesus  himself 


340 

The  First  Creed  is  that  of  the  Apostles;  which 
excels  all  the  others  in  beauty  and  conciseness:  because, it 
embraces  in  the  oiost  brief  and  compendious  manner  all 
the  articles  of  the  Christian  Faith,  and  can  therefore  be 
the  more  easily  learnt  and  understood  by  children  and 
the  more  simple  ones. 

The  Second  Creed  is  that  of  Athanasius; 
.^hich  is  somewhat  longer,  and  designed  to  confute  the 
Arian  heretics.  It  more  fiilly  asserts  and  illustrates  the 
article  concerning  the  divinity  of  Christ  Jesus :  whom  it 
proves  to  be,  the  only  and  true  Son  of  God,  and  our 
Lord :  whom  we  worship  and  call  upon  with  the  same 
faith  as  that  whereby  we  worship  and  call  upcm  the 
Father  himself:  as  we  confess  in  the  first  Creed,  'I 
believe  in  God  the  Father  Almighty,  and,  in  Jesus 
Christ  his  only  Son  our  Lord,'  &c.  For  if  he  were  not 
the  true  God  equally  with  the  Father,  it  would  not 
become  us  to  ascribe  unto  him  the  same  honour  of  faid^ 
worship,  and  prayer,  as  that  which  we  ascribe  unto  the 
Father.  This  is  the  article,  therefore,  which  Athanasius 
contends  for,  and  enforces,  in  his  Creed;  and  it  is,  as  it 
Avere,  a  pillar  of  tl^ie  first  Creed,  that  of  the  Apostles ! 

The  Third  Creed  is  ascribed  to  Ambrose  and 
Augustine ;  and  is  said  to  be  that  which  was  sung  after 
the  Baptism  of  Augustine.  But,  whether  that  be  so  or 
not,  I  consider  it  of  no  consequence  at  all.  It  is  a  very 
beautiful  Creed  or  Confession,  (whoever  was  its  author,) 
composed  in  the  manner  of  a  hymn :  in  which,  there  is 
^ot  only  a  beautiful  Confession  of  the  Faith,  but  God  is 
therein,  wonderfully  proclaimed  and  celebrated. 


341 


••nMHi^aaita 


THE 


FIRST  CREED   OR  CONFESSION 


Is  that  generally  and  well-known  confession  of  flie 
ipostles :  in  which  is  laid  down  the  foundation  of  the 
Christian  Faith.    It  is  thus, — 

1  BELIEVE  in  God  the  Father  Almighty  Maker 
f  heaven  and  earth 

And,  in  Jesus  Christ  his  only  Son  our  Lord; 
rho  was  conceived  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  horn  of  the 
^irgin  Mary;  suffered  under  Pontius  Pilate;  was 
rucijiedy  deadj  and  buried;  He  descended  into  hell; 
he  third  day  he  rose  again  from  the  dea4;  He 
scended  into  heaven  and  sitteth  on  the  right  hand  of 
rod  the  Father  Almighty ;  from  thence  he  shall  come 
}  Judge  the  quick  and  the  dead.  ' 

I  BEhiEVE  in  the  Holy  Ghost ;  the  Holy  Catholic 
hurch ;  the  communion  of  Saints ;  the  forgiveness 
f  sins ;  the  resurrection  of  the  body ;  and  the  life 
)enlasting.     Amen. 


THE 

SECOND   CREED  OR  CONFESSION 

Is  called  the  Creed  of  Athanasius;  because  it  was 
•awn  up  by  him  against  the  Arian  heretics.    It  is 

lUS, — 

Whosoever  will  be  saved;  before  all  things  it  is 
icessary  that  he  hold  the  Catholic  Faith. 

VFhich  Faith,  except  every  one  do  keepw/wle  and 
%defUedy  without  doubt  he  s/iall  p^ish  evj^lasting^p 


I 


1 


;a«2 

And  tJie  Catholic  Faith  is  this:  thai  we  worship 
one  God  in  Trinity^  and  Trinity  in  Unity. 

Neither  confounding  the  persons^  nor  dividing 
tlie  substance. 

For  there  is  one  Person  of  the  Father^  another  of 
the  Son^  and  another  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

But  the  Godhead  of  the  Father ^  of  the  Son^  and 
of  the  Holy  Ghosty  is  all  one:  the  glory  equals  tk 
Majesty  co-etemai. 

Suoh  as  the  Father  isy  such  is  the  Sony  and  SMtk 
is  the  Holy  Ghost. 

The  Father  uncreate^  the  Son  uncreate,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost  uncreate. 

Tlie  FaXher  incomprehensihUj  the  Son  incomprt- 
'hensihle^  and  the  Holy  Ghost  incomprehensible" 

The  Father  eternal^  the  Son  eternal,  and  tie 
Holy  Ghost  eternal. 

And  yet  they  are  not  three  eternals;  but  one  eternal'  I 

As  also  there  are  not  three  incomprehensibleSf  nor  | 
three  uncreated;  but  one  uncreated^  and  one  incom- 
prehensible. 

So  likewise  the  Father  is  Almighty,  the  Son 
Almighty^  and  the  Holy  Ghost  Almighty. 

And  yet,  they  are  not  three  Almighties,  but  one 
Almighty. 

So  the  Father  is  God,  the  Son  is  God,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  God. 

And  yet,  they  are  not  three  Gods,  but  one  God. 

So  likewise  the  Father  is  Lord,  the  Son  is  Lord^ 
and  the  Holy  Ghost  Lord. 

And  yett  not  three  Lords,  but  one  Lord. 

For  like  as  we  are  compelled  by  the  Christian 
verity,  to  acknowledge  every  person  ^  by  himself  to  he 
God  and  .Lord; 

So  are  we  forbidden  by  the  Catholic  rdigion^  to 
say,  there  be  three  Gods,  or  three  Lords. 

^The  Father  is  made  of  none:  neither  cresuted,  nor 
begotten. 

'jthe  So^  is  of  the  Fath^  done:  not  mmte^  nor 
4:reeitedi'lmi  begotten. 


I 


54d 

The  Holy  OhoMt  is  ojf  the  FatJi^  and  of  the  Son: 
^thermadSy'norcreatedfTioriegoUeny  but  proceeding. 

So  there  is  one  Father^  not  three  Fath^s;  one  Son^ 
^4hreeSans ;  one  Hofy  Ghosts  not  three  Holy  Ghosts. 

And  in  this  Trinity  none  is  itfore  or  after  '&ther: 
me  is  greater 9  or  less  than  another. 

Sut  the  whole  three  Persons  are  co-eternal  toge- 
ether:  and  co-equal. 

So  that  in  all  things^  as  is  ciforesaid^  the  Unity  in 
\inity,  and  the  Trinity  in  Umty^  is  to  be  worshipped. 

He  therefore  that  will  be  saved;  must  thus  think 
fihe  Trinity. 

Furthermore,  it  is  necessary  to  everJattisi^ 
dvatiouy  that  he  also  believe  rightly ^  the  incarnation 
four  Lard  Jesus  tJhrist. 

For  the  right  Faith  isy  that  we  believe  andcofifesSy 
iiat  our  Lord  Jesus  Christy  the  Son  of  God^  is  God 
nd  Man. 

God^  of  the  substance  of  the  Father,  begotten 
9 fore  the  worlds:  and  Man^  of  the  substance  of  his 
dfother,  bom  in  the  world. 

Perfect  God,  afid  perfect  man:  of  a  reasonable 
nd  avud  human  fiesh  subsisting. 

Equal  to  the  Fathei\  as  touching  his  Godhead: 
nd  inferior  to  the  Father  j  as  touching  his  Manhood. 

Who  although  lie  be  God  and  Man;  yet  he  is  not 
JTO,  but  one  Christ. 

One;  not  by  conversion  of  tlie  Godhead  into Jlesh^ 
ut  by  taking  qft/ie  Manhood  into  God. 

One  altogether;  not  by  confusion  of  substance, 
ut  by  unity  of  Person. 

For  as  the  reasonable  sord  and  flesh  is  one  mun : 
7  God  and  Man  is  one  Christ. 

Who  steered  for  our  salvation^  descended  into 
d?,  vMe  again  the  third  day  from  the  dead; 

He  ascended  into  heaven^  he  sitteth  on  the  right 
rtpirf  of  the  Father  God  Almighty ^  from' whence  he 
tidl  come  to  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead. 

At  whose  coming  all  men  shall  rise  again  with  their 
odies:  and  shall  give  account  for  their  otan  works. 


344 

And  fhey  that  hope  done  good^  shaUffO  into  life 
everlasting;  aud  they  that  have  done  evit,  into  ever^ 
lasting  Jire. 

T%is  is  the  CatJiolic  Faith:  which  except  a  matt 
believe  faithfully  f  he  cannot  be  saved. 


THE 

THIRD  CREED  OR  CONFESSION, 

Which  is  generally  ascribed  to  Ambrose  and  Au- 
gustine, is  that  well-known  hj^mn — "  Te  Deum." — 

We  praise  thee^  O  God:  we  acknowledge  thee  to 
be  the  Lord. 

All  the  earth  doth  worship  thee;  the  .Father 
everlasting. 

To  thee  all  angels  cry  aloud^  the  heavens^  and  all 
the  powers  therein. 

To  thee  Cherubin  andSeraphin^  continually  do  crj/f 

Holyif  holy,  holy,  Lord  God  of  Sabaoth; 

Heaven  and  earth  are  full  of  the  Majesty  of  tbjf 


^% 


Vie  glorious  company  of  the  Apostles,  praise  thee. 

The  goodly  fellowship  df'the  Prophets  praise  tliee. 

The  noble  army  of  Martyrs  praise  thee. 

The  holy  Church  throughout  all  the  world  doth 
acknowledge  thee. 

The  Father  of  an  infinite  Majesty. 

Thine  honourable,  true,  and  only  Son. 

Also  the  Holy  Ghost  the  comforter. 

Thou  art  the  King  of  Glory,  O  Christ. 

Thou  art  the  everlasting  Son  of  the  Father. 

When  thou  tookest  upon  thee  to  deliver  man^  thott 
didst  not  abhor  the  Virgins  womb. 

When  thou  hadst  overcome  the  sharpness  of  death, 
thou  didst  open  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to  all  believers. 

Thou  sit  test  at  the  right  liand  of  God,  in  the 
glory  of  the  Father. 


We  belUv^  that  thou  sAali  come  to.paaurjudgf. 
■  We' th^efore  pray  thee  help  tky  servants  whQm 

'4>u  hast  redeemed  with  thy  most  precious  bloo4* .  ^r  ^ 
Make  them  to  be  numbered  with  thy  Saif%ls  i^ 

lory  everlasting.  .,, 

O  Lordj  save  thy  people^  and  bless  thUvt  heritagi^ 
Govern  them  and  lift  tliem  tip  for  ever.  .  .  y  .  ;, 
Day  hy  day  we  magnify  thee.  '  *i 

dnd  we  worship  thy  natne^  ever  world  without  ^na. 
Vouchscfe^  O  Lqrd^  to  keep  us  this  dqy  u^twut 

n.  ^  •'■  !  :■ 

O  Lordy  have  mercy  upon  us,  have  mercy  upon  ^§. 
O  JLordy  let  thy  mercy  lighten  upon  u^;  as  ow 

nist  is  in  thee.  ^ 

O  JLordj  in  thee  have  I  trusted^  let  me  nev^  he 

ntfounded. 

T  HAVE  remarked  this  in  proofs  of  feet, -aod 
have  observed  it  in  all  the  histories  of  Christ 
onity, — that  those  who  have  believed  and  taught  truly 
ad  incorruptly  the  principal  articles  of  faith  concerning 
Bsus  Christ,  have  afterwards  stood  in  the  true  Christian 
Euth  safely  and  firmly.  And  that,  although  they  majxiaye 
ad  their  certain  errors  and  sins,  they  have  yet  been  sa^^^a 
I  the  end.  For,  he  that  believes  this  article,  that  Jfksui 
Jhrist  is  truly  God  and  truly  man,  that  he  died  for.ui; 
nd  rose  a^in,  and  holds  fast  that  faith j  wiU  acqu^l^aci^ 
1,  and  heartily  assent  to,  all  the  other  article3.7:^.§9 
rue  is  that  which  Paul  saith,  that  Christ  i^  the  grei^te^ 
nd  principal  good,  the  foundation  or  basis,  and  tnip  ^^tf^ 
3tal ;  under  whom,  and  to  whom,  -are  dni^vtt  aai  g^r 
liered  all  things.  And  as  he  saith  also  in  aivHoer  p)f^b] 
In  him  are  hidden  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  px^ 
Bowledge."  And. Christ  himself  saith,  "He  tfaa^ 
bidelh  ii|  me,  and  I  in  him,Vthe  ^ame  bringeth;  (9rtl) 
inch  fruit"  And  again,  "  He  that  is  not  with  ,ipe  \i 
g^st  me;  and  he  th^t  gatheret^  pot  with.;me,  sijr^} 
mth."  '•■  Fov,  saith  Paul,  it  is  so.  4ecwed  th^fct  in  Chrif  $ 
•esm  should  dwell  all  the  fiflness^of  the  Godhead  bg^ily, 
MT substantially.  y    :  \,-^  ^  -  •    ^n\\\ 

VOL.  II.  12  A 


1 


946 

He^oe,  Ite  diiat  does  hOt ''find  iEUi^Uppretetid  'dbi  in 
Chffift  Jmis,  will  hever  filtd  andttppreb^nd  XxoA  a^ 
where  out  of  Christ,  even  tbotigh  he  ^h<>rild  jtt tttuft  tq[y 
Itbovfe  the  heavens,  or  de^t^d  to  "the  low^l  hell,4ir,  in. 
a  word  go  out  of  the  world  after  him.  For,  stuth  Gdidi 
It  is  here,  here,  in  the  hum^h  tiataipe  of  Clhrisit,  bofn  of 
the  Virgin  Mary,  that  I  will^d^elL  if  thoti  Milt  believe 
this,  thou  shalt  be  blessed :  'but  if  "ttbt^  go  wh^re  thon 
Wih  dnd  do  Whdt  thou  wilt :  ^et,  thy  unbelief  shaft  nei- 
tettlt  alter 'lior  invalidatfe  nay  dfecrfefe.  Atad  toOst  certainlv, 
Christy  together  with  all  his  believers,  will  directly  wlth- 
stend  thfee,  ds  they  have  hitherto  eVer  wAstood  all  the 
pTtfwer  of  the  dififVil  and  of  the  w^ld. 

And  again,  I  have  ever  observed  itiis^^thgtt  ffl 
®fr6t^,  heresies,  idolatries,  offences,  ikhd  abugi^,  aftjS  all 
ungodliness  in  the  church,  have  principally  ftri^h  "fttM. 
the  contempt,  or  neglect,  or  utter  loss,  of  this  article  or  • 
JWft  orftie  Christian -faith  fcbiftjeftlitfg  Jfesiis  ChiSst.  And ' 
If  tltly  cftie  will  cbnsidier  th6  rhatter  clofeely,  he  will  find, 
fltet  all  errors  dirfectly  tttiHtate  against  this  saving  aWHcfe 
itftfcerriine  Christ  JiasUs.     Even  ^as  Simeon  prophesied ._ 
bf  hJiii,  *  uiat  he  ^w^  set  for  the  rise  atid  fall  of  many  fn 
^i^l,  'afhd  ats  ^  "^ign  that  shduld  be  spoken  against^ 
iftrnd  Isaifeih,  lottg  ^bfefore,  predicted,  *  That  he  should  fee 
astotie  of  stilmlmiljg,  and  a  rock  of  offence.' — For  What- 
ever stuthbles  (5r  'is  offended,   must  stumble   and  be 
bifehded  at  this'Otie  Stone :  he  it  is,  that  is  the  stum- , 
bling-stone  ih  the  trq.y  of  iall  slich,^tttid  that  is  "rejected  " 
6f  Uie  ^* builders;''    as  Chriiit  himself  shows   in  that  ^ 
llSth  I^dalth.     And  therefore,  John  also  saith  in  hio ! 
ttst le,  thrit  thiere  is  no  flioTe  certain  mark  AMhereby  td 
ttftil^^h  lying  ^d  antichrist  Spirits,  than  the  denyii^  , 
df  Christ-     Fw  aU'heretics  hafvfe  Aftttdpt^  ^to  ^n  '*e 
Victory ^and. so  trttmiph  over  this  (Jhriit ;   but  th^  ha^e 
gotten  nothing  but  shame  and  cOn^usicfn  foir  their  ps&BlR. 

9ct^tE  tiT  THiciSjE  have  attacked  the  Dimnity  M 
Christ, 'tott  that,  ndt'in  otab-^way  only.     For  Sfttne,1iaW 
8tripj>ed  Him  of  his  Divinity  altpgethfer,  aild  have^-' 
t^hd^d  that  he  "was  nothing  knore  than  aitian.     <G>tii^,  |] 
have  contended  that  he  is  the  same  per^n  'witii  thie  ^ 


PaiEher,  tmd  have  ftsserted  that  It  wasHhe  FaKhef  tiimfti^F 
tllM^ufiered  for  fhe  human  Tace.  Othfers,.^gtf^,  litt^ 
inventively  made  him  a  creator  lisir  more  -e^eeeBftiit  *ihtfi 
aH  lilui  ^tm^els,  and  wouki  have  him  cafiefi  i^ch  a<rod 
flis  tettde  ml  the  dther  creatures,  and  ^,  not  triliy  Mi 
vMiirally  the  ^mal  God  together  wi<h  the  ^Father.  ' 

Acttte  men  have  stretched  their  intientions  up«n  this 
point  in  wonderful  ways,  *and  4iave  jeoparded  aSH  'thfeft- 
powers  and  fectfltics,  thftt»theyibight-hot'%^  cbrti^ 
to  Relieve,  thrit  Christ  is  truly  «nd  nafetalty^otf ;  'Mia 
have  tried  ftieir  utmost  to  find  out  anfd  comprflwftid  'by 
their  own  reason  the  whole  scripture,  and  mttt^jtepfe- 
cially  this  article,  and  to  bend  »them  down  ^  ffhttt  own 
opinions.  This  artide  tuotrever  has,  as  a  rodk,  Hs/tbdfl 
immotable,  while  they  dteve  fallen  4ieffdlong  'to  tte- 
stsraction.  Though  the  ittevil  continued  to  scatter  ^ 
poison  in  the  hearts  of  the  ungodly  and  'unb^evrng 
even  runtd  the  times  of  Mahomet,  who  tore  aw^  the 
Eftst,  ^a  great  part  of  the  world,  from  Christ. 

Others,  agaiw,'  have  attacked  hife  -HUfmnity'; 
itt<3  th^  ^Iso  have  sported  with  thirfr-invetititAife  ih4 
w^iHlerfol  way.  ^The  delirium  €tf  ttte  Manidfifecfs  wafe 
this  :-^-^they  considered  Chri^t^to  'be  ^  tertam  ihatttrw 
only  which  passed  Arough' the  Virgin  Mmy,*l!ke  a  kind 
of  spectre,  whidi  'has  neither  a  ireatl  bifirdy 'nor'Ateal  Sbitt. 
--^Others,  denied  that  he  had  a^sotll,  ibnd  M^liMd^-fltAt 
his  Divinity  govertted  his  bbdy  in  the-ftleaflof^sntlL^^ 
Others,  dreamed  that  he  was  not  tnUy  and  iiatiirtJR 
the  Son  of  the  Virgin  Mary.— And  ttie  Jfews  tJiitik  tJift 
they  display  a  singular  ^wisdom,  m 'daring  to  *a;Ssert  -ftttfk 
he  was  -begotten  of  Jbse^h.  Attd  fAome  'of  'thttn  have 
spbken  so  pmfetttejly,  irreverently,  and  filthily  of  1^ 
eohceptibn,  that  What  th^  hdive  sAid  is  too  bad  to-bfe 
repeated 

TRie  Jews^have,  asthey  ima^e,  brought^ftte  matter 
«6 'a  needle-point,  vi^hett  ^theyargue,  thaf  therfe  cammt 
be^TWrW  distinct  Persons  in  ^tfee  'God-head.  For  ^ay 
khej^  they  cannot  he  bfother8'Or4rfnsmen:  and-Aerdfol*; 
diey  ea*inot,^upon^«ny  groimds  dfwason,  bet^onrftiert^ 
\6  be^?hwe  eiqifti!  Tfew^  rtt^te-Aha^w^tofluK 

2aS 


I 


M9 


fully  wise  are  such !  who  wish  to  Judge  of  the  inscnlf 
table  and  eternal  nature  and  essence  of  God  by  thefl) 
Wortid  faculties  of  men,  or  rather  of  beasts. 

In  a  word,  the  rage  of  the  devil  has  never  ceased  % 
any  time,  whensoever  and  wheresoever  that  article  ojt 
of  the  creed  concerning  (/hrist,  that  he  was  truly  Go4 
apd  Man,  and  died  for  us  and  rose  i^ain,  has  sounded 
forth  in  the  church.  For  he  is  that  blessed  Seed  of  thf 
woman ,  which  bruises  the  serpent's  head,  and  in  vfhon^ 
heel,  in  turn,  the  serpent  dashes  his  poisoned  teeiit 
And  therefore,  this  enmity  will  remain  unto  the  final 
judgment 

And  again,  what  have  we  new-formed  and  exalt^ 
saints  under  the  Pope  thought  of  Christ  Jesus  ?  W||i 
have  indeed  confessed,  verbally,  that  he  was  truly  Qlid 
and  Man,  and  that  he  was  our  Saviour  and  Delivem^ 
and  died  for  us  and  rose  again,  &c.  But  we  ha^^ 
actually,  not  only  continually  denied  those  things,  im 
have  fought  against  them  with  all  our  power  and  mali(;|| 
and  have  not  ceased  to  do  so  unto  this  day. — Some^ 
have  taught  that  he  died  only  for  original  sin :  and  tt|iK 
we  are  to  make  atonement  for  our  actual  sins  .ourselvMk 
Others  again,  have  affirmed,  that  if  any  fall  after  bapr 
Usm,  Christ  no  longer  profits  than  any  thing.  Ab4 
hence  jtiaye  proceeded  prayers  to  saints^  pilgrimages^ 
purgatory,  masses,  monasteries,  and  numberless  other 
enormities  of  the  same  kind,  whereby  we  have  ep* 
4eavoured  to  appease  Christ  and  gain  him  over,  m 
though  he  were  not  our  l^ediator  and  Intercessor  befoiV 
Ood,  but  an  inexorable  and  an^  judge. 

And,  at  this  day,  those  very  persons  who  moje 
pecially  wish  themselves  to  be  accounted  Christi 
who  bofist  of  the  name  and  title  of  the  church,^  and 
destroy  the  godly  with  fire  and  sword,  and  sprinkle 
satiate  themselves  with  the  blood  of  the  innocent,—] 
lliose  very  persons,  1  say,  think  that  alone  to  be 
true  and  only  right  doctrine,  when  they  teacfa^  that 
obtain  grace  and  eternal  salvation  by  their  own  worb 
imd  that  the  only  honour  thf^  is  du^e  unto  Christ ;' 

:  Jke  begun  tixi^  work  of  j)ur  ;3alTatibn;  but  iUst 


~  iv 


949 

ure  those  mi^^  nerves,  who ^nish  and  perfect  our  sal*! 
Diitipn  thus  b^an,  by  our  own  works.  For  they  will) 
ULVe  it,  that  Christ  did  die  for  us  that  he  might  begin  our 
niiyation,  that  is,  that  by  him  we  mi^t  obtaili  the  re- 
■liasion  of  [original]  sins,  but  that  we  can  merit  eternal- 
Ijfe  and  salvation  by  our  own  works. 

.  Thus  do£$  the  devil  wonderfully  make  sport  of 
Christ,  attacking  him  by  his  army  thus  divided  into- 
Buree  parts :  the  one  of  which  plunders  him  of  his  Divi- 
nity, the  second  of  his  Humanity,  and  the  third  of  his 
Mbnefits. 

Each  of  these  three  tries  to  destroy  Christ  and  take 

^lim  out  of  the  way  altogether.     For  what  will  it  profit 

|bee  to  confess  that  he  is  truly  God,  unless  thou  believe' 

|ihat  he  is  truly  Man  also  ?  Because,  thou  hast  not  thus! 

a  whole  and  true  Christ,  but  a  certain  spectre  of  the- 

devil.  And,  what  will  it  profit  thee  to  confess  that  he  is: 

|t|raly  Man,  unless  thou  beheve  that  he  is  truly  God 

also?  And  finally,  what  will  it  profit  thee  to  confess 

'ifaat  he  is  truly  God  and  Man,  unless  thou,  believe  that- 

Jie  has  done,  and  will  do,  all  things  for  thee  ?  Even  as 

jillso  it  profited  nothing  unto  those  who  believed  that  he 

died  for  the  human  race,  &c.  and  yet,  either  did  not  be-^ 

.Heve  that  be  was  God,  as  the  Arians,  or  did  not  believe 

that  he  was  Man,  as  the  Manichees. 

I       But  all  these  articles  must  of  necessity  be  believed  j 

^  namely,  that  he  is  God,  and  Man ;  and  that  he  was 

.made  such  a  Man  for  us  as  is  described  in  the  First 

^Creed :  namely,  that  he  was  conceived  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 

bom  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  suffered,  was  crucified,  died, 

.  was  buried,  and  rose  again,  &c.    For  the  Christian  faith 

jnost  be  complete  and  perfect  in  all  things.    And  al- 

ilDugh  it  may  be  weak  and  languishing,  and  attacked 

[|nd  tried  in  various  ways,  yet  it  must  ever  be  true  and 

whole.    A  weak  faith  brings  no  one  any  hurt,  but  a 

&ke  faith  will  bring  eternal  death  and  damnation ! 


t 


i  .         R^''^  ^^^»  some  of  those  greatest  pests  and 

.  most  detestable  among  men,  will  rise  up^  and^^ 

^dlik,  the  bitterest  hatred  against^  and  mockery  of,  the 


^. 


hi^  tifariajirai  chiiich\  w^l<  cast,  im  ber  tdfAc  aii  AmL 
ditaenwms-y  sects^  eivors^.  lierems^  and.  offibnaas;  vhicli  lie 
eniat  in;  thsi  Ghu8ch3;.^t^a9  tlioiighi  tiie  ddctdafti  ^f  AjBiik 
Geepei  itoel£  shmlidi  be  coademdedi  becsHisBi  tfle^e tllin^|il 
W»\  afi^  and  becaisBe  ocmcorob  and  peace  msn^  beoorae  m 
Christian  church. — Ttheyt  are  wonderftdl^  wise;  om^ 
ttmljr^  who.  want  to  teaidi!  the  IIxaLy  Crfaost  hkneelf.  how 
Ii0  cru^  toi  gowmsk  and  manage'  his.  ohus«h«. 

If  the  WB6  deidl)  did  not  wisb^  or  did)  not .dare^M 
iiite  thet  heel  oi  Chnst,  suob  w  coBoord  aodr  peace  mi^ 
easily  be  estabhshed  in,  the  church.  But,  as  Ad'  em 
ounms)  on  war  againat  Chiast,  aod  is:  ever  fecmeDtiDg 
bitldtfs  im  his  ohnrch^  making  sects,  mid  ei^ciang  sariiri 
tions^  theyf certainly  do>  the  ohurch  agDeatLinjinyV^^ 
layfUpon  her  the  blame  of  all  these:  tumults  aold  chstnte^ 
ticiis  ;  which,,  shei  is  so  far  firdmi  fermenting  herselfv  thals 
dbe>  is  compelled  unwillinfgly  to>  endune  tkeim — Thoe 
dasoiDt  bat^  exdst  tumults  and  distractions  >  in  the  efaurci^ 
whale  shoe  tehses  to  Usfteh  tbi  the  enemy  of.  her  deliv^eier 
Jenisfdhrist  ?  But  what  cam  she  do  ?  The  serpent  witt 
nol:  oease  ftoiA  biting  the  heel,  of  Christ,  nor  ever  peranki 
Ida  eolemy  toi  he<  in  peace :  and,  on  the  cither  hand, 
Christ  cannot,  bear  thff  bitings.of  the  serpent. 

Bernfeuni,^  expounding  that  part  of  the  prayer  of  He* 
zekiah,  "  Behold  for  peace  I  had  great  bitterness^* 
Isninb  x(SX(vfii  17v  says,  ^  The  charcb  is  niever  in  a 
wBfKse.  stafe^  tiiaA  when  it  is  in  quietness  and  peace/ 
JaiditLib  a  memcorable  saying  and  fidli  of  tmih.  For 
malTteci  aicei  bt  a  bad  staie  whmChrisddns  ammot  at  war 
^Hidk  the  serpent,  the  dex^Eilr  for  it  is  a  sure  proof  that  the 
dbvA  iai  douigi,  im  quietness  and;  peace,  just  what  hn 
pleases^  But  wfaism  he  ia  in.  9  sage,  and'  hiurling  all  thtogB: 
UigLalid  lowi  iutoi  con&isixDn,  ii  is  a^  certain  sign  that  h^ 
ii^.totlBriA^  upon  hisi  throne^  and  at  tdne  point  of  beii% 
vanquisked^  and  tlMuS  Christ  is:  storming  las  paiace* 

HoMG,  he  ibaK  beholds  the  Chuistian  chuvcb  m 
this  view,  or  who  wishes  to  find  it  a  church  that  is  alto- 
getheB  free  from  idi^e  cM6i$,  ivonL  heresies  and  aeicts,  and. 
qnitB  ]f)|3acejftil  smd  qaidiv-^''-*be  will:  neroc  see  it.  Or,  be 
will  fbd,vins(Mdi  oi'  th^  Uof^i  chninhi  dt  Christ,  a.  fidb^ 


obuitrb  of  I&&  devL«-^h]J8t  himself:  ngrs^  ^^  it  mvM 
needs  be  that  offenoes  come :  but  wo  unto  diat-mm  hf 
mhom  thq  ofifence  comedy"  Ma^t  xTiii.  T.  Ai^(  Patik 
*8ditby  ^  For  there  must  be  also  betpesiea  amoag  jm^ 
that  they  which  hx^  appvojred:  may  be  made  manifbst 
4iaaong  you/'  1  Cor;  xi.  1-9* 

And  indeed,  i£  the*  church  is  to  be*  ab«>ys»  qwi'e> 
liien  we  must  take  out  o^  the  way  the  Lord's^  Vtnym^ 
4teelf :  in  whidi  we  pmy^,  '  Hi^Qwed  be  thy  ikuom? 
.yitiy  kingdom  come :  thy  will  be  done  :  lead  ue  itdt 
y&ito 'temptation/  &c.  But  when  there  shall'  be  no  mate 
m  blasphemous  doctrine>  existing  und^^  cover*  of  the 
Hune  of  God,  then,  we  may  cease*  to  pray*  ^  HaBbW(feKt 
•be  thy  name :  diy  kingdom  come^' 

But  these  hypocrites  will,  not  hear'diesalhii]^  aw# 
are  more  and  more  offended  at  them ;  and  they  tsy  m^ 
ondeavour  to  make  the  state  of  the*  church  such  as  the^ 
tbemselves  dream  o^  an4  wi^h;  namely  pea^efiil  aiM 
(|ujet.  On  the  other  hand,  God  pays  no*  regard  i^tmb- 
ei^  to  thqir  being  ofiended^  but  lets^  thefl»  go^  €m>  t»  ll^^ 
4)ffended  as  far  as  they  please :  while  he,  neverAelt^m, 
atill  goes  on  as*  he  began^  and  establishes  and  rutea  hisi 
church  according-  to  ms  own  wMl :  uaCUi  aD  ter^th  theses 
li^pocrites  retain  n^hev  the  sabstanee,  nop  even  ^a» 
{xnn  of  the  church :  just  as  it  happ^^ed  to»  die  Jewtf 
with  their  temple  at*  Jerusalem. 

Such,  therefore,  must  of  necessity  pray  the-  Lok^ 

Prayer  in  this  manner,  *Thy  name  is  hallowed:  thy 

wiii  is  done,'  &c.     That  is,  ^  We  ave  now»  ^afnts  and 

^rfect:  we  have,  no  fiulher  need  of  the  remission  of 

ninSj  nor  of  any  help  against  temptation.'    Fod  they  witt^ 

have  their  church  to  be  free  from  all  offences,  sects,  and 

Jtumults,  and  they  will  have  no  serpent  in  their  paradiW) 

BIfggif  aoy  d^vU  among^  their  sons,  of  G.od^  Jojix  i  ftr^But 

let  us  away  with  such  and  leave  them  alone  to,  ^^  ¥(aJUk 

u^^  theii^  0W9  hesurts  Uist,"  as  it  is  S9.id;  j^^o^  hp^xi. 

12,  and  let  us  return  to  our  Creeds,  m^-  dt^tft*  QWV** 

flj^^Kei^  ta  deiQl^ring.  t;t|?ir  contents. 

. ,  W^.  tjhw^iftixg^  hQw^v^  9jre  i^ot,  smch  BMfJipi^^)  VtA 
stupfd  creatures  as  the  Jews  consider  us  to  be,  ^t^hOilal^ 


Sift 

iMij  to  be '  noChi^  *  inoce  than  ^  teC .  of  silly  Hdudos  or. 
geesoii  as:  neither  understanding  nor  considcnriog  howabvj 
mxi.  a  thing  it  is  to  believe  that  God  b  man,  and  tte 
there  ace  in  the  unity  o£  the  Godhead  Three  distim* 
Persons.  But.  we,  by  the  favour  of  God,  well  knmr^  |1 
that  this  doctrine  is  placed  &r  above  the  reach  of  aik 
biunan  capacity,  nor  have  we  any  need  of  the  sublime 
ijeasonings  of  the  Jews  to  prove  that  unto  us,  -r— Wc 
kilQwiogly  and  willingly  believe,  9nd  confess,  and  ab« 
experience,  that  unless  the  Holy  Ghost  put  a  new  ligii. 
iuto. our. hearts  above  that  of  reason,  this  article  cabiioi 
h^  comprehended,  believed,  or  held  fast.  And  ther&« 
^re  there  remains,  of  necessity,  in  the  minds  of  tfasi 
Jews,  a  proud  over-curious  reason  that  .lifts  itself  ofr 
IMgb  and  laughs  at  this  article,  and  thus  sets  itself  up  ai 
*:  judge  of  the  divine  nature,  which,  nevertheless,  iU 
Q^vier  saw,  nor  ever  can  see,  nor  does  it  understand  tasf 
^mg  of  it,  so  as  to  form  a  judgment,  to  enter  into  a  medi-» 
tatipu,  or  to  ,speak  concerning  it. — For  God  dwells  in  a 
^i^t.  where  no  one  can  approach  unto  him,  and  front' 
^heiice  he  must  of  necessity  come  unto  us ;  yet  stilly 
hidden  and  concealed,  as  it  were,  in  a  secret ;  as  John- 
i.  1.8,  "  No  man  hath  seen  God  at  any  time :  the  only 
l[)§gotten  Son,  which  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  be 
hoBi  declared  him."  And  God  said  by  Moses  long 
before,  "  There  shall  no  man  see  me  and  live,"  Exod. 
x;xxiii.  20. 

T  ET  us  then  bring  forward  and  collect  ^ome 
of  the  passages  of  the  scripture,  whereby  to 
doniirm  this  Article,  and  especially  that  part  of  it  where 
Athanasius  distinguishes  the  Three  Persons  in  the  God- 
head thus-r- 

The  Fattier  is  made  of 'none:  nieither  created^  nor 
hegotteri, 

• '    7%c  Son  is  of  the  FatJier  alone :  not  mcuie,  nor 
ci'mted;  but  begotten. 

The  Holy  Ghost  is  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son.* 
neither -meidey  nor  created^  nor  begotten^  but  pro- 
ceeMng,- 


553 

^i«  ^  The  scri^Caw  describes  the  Son  as  jk^tten  of  tiie 
fttther,  ^^  llie  Lord  hath  said  unto  me,  Thou  art  X3^y^ 
Iton^  this  day  have  I*  begotten  theej"  Ps.  i.  7. — And 
SSirist  thus  describes  the  Holy  Ghost,  John  x^v.  26, 
"*  M^hen  the  Comforter  is  come  whom  I  will  send  unto 
!Mt  from  the  Father,  even  the  Spirit  of  truth,  which 
libceedeth  from  the  Father:  he' shall  testify  of  me." 
^'  ^  This  scripture  testifies,  that  the  Holy  Ghost  pro-> 
leeds  from  the  Father,  and  is  sent  by  the  Son.  And, 
le  that  proceeds  is  said  also  to  be  sent. — And  as  the 
imi  is  begotten  of  the  Father,  and  yet  comes  not  forth 
Nrf  of  the  Godhead,  but  remains  in  the  one  and  same 
iprinity  with  the  Father,  and  is,  with  him.  One  God  ; 
M  also,  does  the  Holy  Ghost  proceed  as  sent  by  the 
Bather  and  the  Son ;  nor  does  he  come  forth  out  of  the 
Godhead,  but  remains  in  the  One  and  same  divinity 
tiith  the  Father  and  the  Son,  and  is,  with  them  both, 
^ne  God. 

'>  Therefore  this  nativity  is  far  different  from  the  nati- 
fi^  of  man,  and  this  proceeding  is  far  different  from  the 
proceeding  of  man.  For  man  born  of  man  not  only  be- 
comes a  person  individually  separate  from  the  Person  of 
the  Father,  but  another  and  individually  separate  sub- 
stance ;  nor  does  either  the  Son  remain  in  the  substance 
flf  the  Father,  or  the  Father  in  the  substance  of  his 
Son.  But  this  Son  is  begotten  into  another  Person, 
and  yet  remains  in  the  Essence  of  the  Father,  and  the 
Father  also  in  the  Essence  of  the  Son.  Hence,  they  are 
distinct  Persons  ;  yet  so,  that  they  both  remain  in  the 
one  same  indistinguishable  inseparable  Essence. 

In  the  same  manner  also  when  mBn  proceeds  and  is 
iint  from  man,  not  conly  are  the  persons  separated,  but 
the  substance  is  separated  also,  and  the  one  is  divided 
^asunder  from  the  other.  But,^  this  Holy  Ghost  pro- 
ceeds from  the  Father  and  the  Son,  (even  as  he  is  alsa 
sent  from  the  Father  and  the  Son,)  and  is  separated 
indeed  unto  another  Person;  yet,  he  remains  in  the 
£g6eiioe  of  the  Father  and  of  die  Son,  and  the  Father 
«li4  theSon  remain  in  the  Essence  of  the  Holy  Ghost ; 


that  is,  aU)  dxe»  Thiers.  Peimmas  Mmto  JiDll^ifeQnii  nune  U 

Godhead.  -    /   xlT  *    /.      .  |» 

Aiffjx  HEKCE  dtyinea  hw%  tenwd  thni  n^tilPtjr^f  f 
UbarSoQ  an.tnr^^iMiSii^*natiwty':£  iKAcmo^ig  iQf^jmb(i 
die  Godhead^  but  only  pixKoedii^  ftonx^  ^  Catikii 
and  still  remaining  in.  tibei  Godheadk-^-^nd;  ao  ^hoi  tkty 
have  termed  the  pnoceeding  of  the  Uol}!  Qfamt^.  an»iih 
abiding  proceeding:  not  proceeding  forthi  0f/t-  ottiie 
Godhead,  but  only  from  the  Father  an4  I^Son^  wi 
still  remaining  in  the  GodheaxL 

But  how  this  is,  must.be  apprehended  by  faith: :  fffL 
it  is  inscrutable  ev^i  unto  the  ang^  themselvQS^  iv^ 
are  ever  \)eholding  it  with  unceasing  joy.  A|^  4 
those  who  attempt  to  fathom  and  eomprebend  thii 
mystery  by  human  reason,  only  precipitate  tbemaebses 
into  perdition. 

It  is  enough  for  us  to  be  able  to  jipfM^teod^  fHf 
faith,  a  distinction  of  Persons:  that  is, — ^tbat  ^ 
Father  is  begotten  of  none, — that  the-  Sba  m  kegQttra 
of  tte  Fathm:, — audi  that  the  Holys  Gbo^t.  proceedt 
from  the  Father  and  the  Soa.  For  by  thifr  i^oceedi^ 
is  meant,  a  sending  as  an  ambassador  is;  se^  eyexi^ 
by  .the  nativity  of  the  Son,  is  meant,  a  being^bon^  a9^a 
son  is  bom  of  a  father.. 

This  same  distinetioa  do  the  Son  and  ^e  JSkIfy 
Ghost  retain  also  in  their  names. i  wherein^,  tbeyi  rexsfi 
themselves  from  out  of  the  Godhead  untoi  usi  croatoresk 
For  the  Som  is  bom^  corposoliy  of  his  moth^^  asdb  is 
Auis  said  to  be  a  Son  born.'  yet,  he:  is  thetsaipe  Son  «l 
God  in  both  natifvities;  And.so  also^  tba  Holy  Cehort 
proceeds:,  forth  corporally  ia  the  sbapeb  q£  at  dove,  in 
fiery  tongues,^  and  in.  a  mighty  lushmg.  wind^.  and  k 
thus  said  to.  proceed,  or  to  he:  sent:*  yet,,  he  i^i  Ae  same 
Holy  Ghost  in  each  pcoceedingy  amk  nob  tbft  Fi^ci^ 
nor  the  Son^ 

Wherefore^  it  was  sweetly  becofliiog,  tbat.  ih^t  m^ 
diate«  Person,  who.  waa  begoiten:  hefoiB.  fioom  aU  etCBiJ^ 
and  who  was  a  Son,  and  not  ihei  Faidiec^  nor  the  £»5 
Ghost,  should  alBe  be  hem  corpoca%jk   ilmdi  so  alio^  il 


I 


0i5 

^$nul.fi|ve00lh|t  bacoorib^^  thM  thef  Mb^  GAnoat,  who  f^ 
otadecb  heMmn  fion  all  eternity,  asid  i«4lir  was'  ndt  W 
gotten^  HOP  Ibe  Sen,  should' proved  coiporally. 

And  thus,  the  Fatlkev  vemaifts  ispVigmmify  that  ail  1^ 
>Xbree,  Per8oti9  ow^*  dwell  in  tile  divitie  Majisstf.  Yet 
M^thot  the- Sonvbas^  fails  Djiviiiity>fi;om  tke  EMher  by  hTs 
eternal  in^abidii^  nativity:  And  the  Holy  Ghosts  Yteed 
IvbK  Bivinity  irom^  the  Fattier  and  the  S^h,  by  hi^ 
.«l0QDai  and^  in^abidingj  proceeding. 

Andi  thusi  alsO)  the  Sotn  ^  his  corpoml  nativiti;^  re^ 
mal^  his  eternal  nal&fvity.  And'  the  Holy  Ghost,  by  fa^ 
corporal  pnoceedti^  reveab  his  eternal^  proceeding.  And 
•achy  has  a  certain  exte;mal  similitude  or  image  of  bis 
ntenial;  fissejice. 

)  ^  Thus  is  the,  distJhcfiion  o^  the^  Plevsons  delivered  tb 
us  in  the  Gospell  But  iflany  one  will  exert  his  thoughts 
jipon  any  t^t»g  beyond  ihis,  he  may  do  ft  for  what  I 
care ;  but  sure  I  am,  Hhat  he  will  find  out)  nothing  certain 
hayond  this.  Therefore  let  us  hold  tftiese  things  as  simply 
aei  possible,  and  be  in^  the  meantime  content}  with  them, 
until  w-e  arrive  in.  that  plisKje*  where  we  shall  no  longer 
hare  tk^  hear  and'  believe  these  tlimge^  but  shall  alt"- 
alearly  behead  and  know  diem^ 

A  ND  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  gives  us  at 

beautiful  and  striking  similitude  of  the  dis* 

tinction  of  the  Persons  of  the  Father  and  the   $on, 

ivium  it  says,  chap.  i.  S,  *'  Who  being  the  brightness  of 

km  glory  and  the  expresi^  image  of  his  person  (or  sub- 

^anoe.")    And   though   it  does  not  fully  satisfy  the 

godly,  iir  tibat  it  dk^yes  not:  shew  at  the  same  time,  that 

©we  Person  of  the  Gbdhciad  is.  tbe^  Pferson  of  the  Son, 

ami  a  Person  begotten ;.  yet,  in  other  respects,  it  most 

beautifoliy  shews,  that  this  Seconcf  Person  is  of  the 

One  ssime  divine  Essence^  and  not  a^  distinct  and  separ 

mte  creatum. 

•  '  Arid  this  silniiitudis  of  the-  distinction'  isj  without 
^nt^t)  borrowed  from  the  sun  and  his  brfghtness :  for 
iwaarly  allt  the  saintly  have  kt  i^  same  way  compared  the 
Father  to  the  sun^  the  Son  to  his  brightness,  and  the 


-  U6 

Holy  Ghost  to  hid  heat:  that  by  tibbijoifcertiBl^  pUn} 
and  visible  similitude  or  iraage^  ixnelcpen^iced.  and 
simple  Christiajis  may  be  the  more  easily  iiiBtraetiedand 
^roqght  to  comprehend  this  Article. 

The  text,  then,  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,.  sa]f^ 
"  Who  being  the  brightness  of  his  glory .** — Now  ^ 
scripture  saith,  that  the  crieated  light  rose  from  no  when 
else  but  out  of  darkness,  that  is,  from  out  of  nothing. 
Thus  it  is  written,  Gen.  i,  that  when  darkness  was  upon 
the  face  of  the  deep,  the  light  was  mad^  out  of  darkness, 
(or  out  of  nothing,)  by  the  Word  of  God,  And  Paul, 
2  Cor.  iv.  6,  saith,  ^^  God  who  commanded  the  light  to 
shine  out  of  darkness,"  &c.  Light,  therefcMre,  is  a  certain^ 
brightness  or  shining  out  of  darkness^  (if  I  may  so 
speak,)  for  the  darkness  sent  forth  the  light  by  the  Woid 
of  God  :  but  the  darkness  itself  was  nothing. 

But  the  text  saith  that  Christ  is  a  '^  brightness,"  not 
shining  out  of  darkness,  nor  which  darkness  sent  fortlv 
nor  shining  out  of  nothing,  but  shining  and  beamuig 
forth  out. of  the  very  splendour  of  the  Father;  that is^ 
put  of  the  internal  and  natural  Essence  of  his  Divinily. 
—And  thus,  the  origin  of  this  brightness  or  light  is  the 
divine  essence  itself.  Therefore,  it  is  impossible  that  it 
should  be  a  creature.  For  the  scripture  does  not  speak 
of  any  creature  as  being  the  brightness  of  the  divine 
Essence  or  splendour. 

JVloreover,  the  word  "  brightness "  proves  that  he 
is  truly  God,  begotten  of  the  Father.  For  by  brightness 
here  is  meant  the  divine  Majesty  and  glory  itselL  And 
to  be  the  "  brightness  "  or  light  of  this  divine  Msijesty 
and  glory,  is  to  be  of  equal  power  and  glory  wjith  d^ 
divine, Mggesty  and  glory  itself.  For  if  Christ  were  not 
the  brightness  of  that  divine  Majesty  and  glory  whdHy, 
but  in  part  only,  he  could  not  be  "  the  brightness  of  lus 
glory."  Because,  the  glory  and  Majesty  of  God  are  one 
undivided  Majesty,  which  Christ  must  have  wholly,  or 
not  at  9II.  If,  therefore,  he  is  the  brightness  of  the  di- 
vine glory  or  divine  Essence,  he  must  of  necessity  be 
the  brightness  of  the  whole  of  that  divine  Essqn^re,  and 


^S7 

95  gr^t  as  the  splendour  or  divinity  (^  the  Father  itself 
jSy  and  altogether  of  an  equal  power  with  him* 

And  again,  if  he  arose  neither  out  of  nothing,  nor 
out  of  darkness,  (as  all  the  other  creatures  did,)  but  out 
of  the  natural  and  eternal  essence  of  the  Father  himself, 
it  of  necessity  follows,  that  he  is  truly  and  naturally  the 
One  God  with  the  Father,  and  not  separately  existing 
9At  of  the  Godhead  or  the  divine  Essence,  as  all  other 
isreatures  are. 

-  Hence  it  is  by  these  words  most  effectually  taught, 
that  Christ  is  the  One  true  God  together  with  the 
'Father,  and  of  an  equal  power,  without  difference. 
This  particular  only  excepted, — that  he  is  of  the  Father, 
and  not  the  Father  of  him  :  even  as,  the  brightness  of 
fthe  divine  glory  is  of  the  divine  glory  and  essence,  and 
iDOt  the  divine  glory  and  Essence  of  the  brightness. 

And  so  also,  when  the  text  saith,  "  And  the  ex* 

^  jnress   image  of  his  substance,  (or  person),"  it,  most 

j^fl^tually  proves,  that  Christ  must  be  truly  and  natu- 

fidly  God  :  and  yet,  that  there  are  not  many  gods,  but 

only  One  God. 

We  in  our  day  commonly  call  that  an  image,  which 
js  a  representation  in  all  things  like  unto  the  thing  re* 
presented.  But,  all  images  are  deficient  in  thi^  one 
thing, — they  neither  have,  nor  are  of,  the  same  essej&ce 
or  nature  of  the  thing  which  they  represent,  but  are  of  a 
dififerent  nature  or  substance.  Thus,  when  any  painter,  or 
writer,,  or  statuary,  represents  on  his  canvass,  or  on  his 
wood  or  stone,  in  the  most  expressively  exact  *  manner, 
•any  prince  or  king,  so  that  the  eyes  of  all  who  behold  it 
are  instantly  taken  with  it,  and  they  are  constrained  to 
exclaim,  Behold,  this  is  such  or  such  a  king,  prince,  or 
•man : — such  may  indeed  be  an  image  or  likeness,  but  it 
is  not  the  nature  or  essence  of  that  king,. or  prince,  or 
man,  but  is  simply  an  image  or  representation  only, 
l&aviQg  itself  a  different  substance.  For  its  own  nature 
or  substance  is  stone,  or  wood,  or  canvass,  or  paper ; 
•^nd  he  that  beholds  or  handles  it,  does  not  behold  or 
handle  the  substance  or  nature  of  the  person  repre- 
And  there  19  no  pne  but  will  say,  '  This  is  a 


wood,  orttDne,  or  cairvass,  or  papcir  4ic|>ited^ittatiM;  W 
not  a  living,  natund,  and  humnn  'Subdtarice/  'Betitratf^ 
its  nature  is  wood,  stone,  <!anvai^,  &c:aad  Imas  'not  in 
hself,  as  I  have  said,  the  natane 'Off -the  king,  or  prince, tt 
man.  And  therefore  it  oannot  be  said  to 'be,  niorisl^' 
the  image  of  the  substance  df  the  man.  ^o  "rtiat  it 
would  be  more  properly  called,  and  would  He,  fkk 
image  of  the  man,  or  rather,  an  image  made  in  tte 
likeness  of  the  man :  but  it  cannot  be  the  image oMiis'srtl^ 
stance  or  nature  :  nor  is  it  of  his  "nature,  nor  prd^ieding 
from  his  nature.  Therefore,  it  remains,  and  'is  ccwi* 
pelled  to  remain,  an  image  made  in  the  likeness  <K 
man,  but  of  a  different  substance  or  nature. 

But  here  Christ  is  so  the  "express  image''  or  like^ 
ness  of  the  Father,  that  he  is  the  image  of  Ms  divink 
Essence ;  and  not  made  of  a  different  nature,  but  fe  ^ 
very  divine  -image,  which  comes  of  Ood  and  has  the  divi- 
nity in  itself.  And  though  man  ahd  the  angels  we!?e  majSt 
or  created  in  the  image  of  God,  yet,  they  were  not  im€^ 
of  his  substance  or  nature,  nor  were  they  made,  nor  did 
they  come,  of  that  divine  nature.  But  Christ  was  of  Aat 
«  divine  nattfre  of  God  from  stll  eternity,  the  express 
image  «df  his  substance ;  not  artificial,  or  made,  Gk 
created,  but  having  in  himself  all  the  divine  natiTre,  afld 
being  of  -himself  all  the  divine  nature,  n6t  made  w 
created  by  another;  even  as,  the  divine-nature  iteelf,;is 
not  made  or  created  by  another.  Tor  if  he  -had  ^nc^  All 
the  divinity  of  tte  Father  in  imnself,  awd  were  ndt 
jierfect  God,  -he  neither  w^ruld  be,  -tier  coUld  'be  called, 
"  the  express  image  of  his  substance  (or  person):'*'  foi- 
the  Father  would  still  have  a  Something  in  which  the 
"Son  weuldiHiot  be  like  or  equal  wnto-him.  ^flmdethus,  he 
would  be  altogether  unlike  ihe  >Fktfier,  anfl  »any  thii^ 
but  ''^•the  -express  image  (tf  his  'substance.**  For  the 
4ivine  Essence  is,  above  'dll  things,  »a  'One  unfpartoblfe 
invisible  Essence :  so  that,  wheife  it  is  it  m«st  dfiftec**- 
sity  be  wholly,  or  it  cannot  be  at  all. 

These  two  terms  therefore  declare,  thatlflhte^l^atJwr 
and  the  Son  are  Two  distinct  Persons,  but  Onfe  insipfc*^ 
¥able  Essence.    For  the  term  " 'imag€i  ^' ^hews  thtftlhft 


to  H:9iol  tbei  'Father,  but  die  "^  image  "  of  the  farther, 
fd  itfnother  Perstm.  Ami  the  tenn  ^^imbstanee" 
lews,  that,  with  respect  to  his  natore,  he  fe  not  distinct 
am  the  Father,  but  of  the  One  same  Divinity  and 
lisenee  withihe  Father. 

'  And  i^in,  he  is  so  the  itnage  of  his  substance,  as 
lat,  he  was'  not  made,  not  began  to  be  so  at  any  timib, 
it  ^existed  so  from  all  eternity ;  even  as,  the  divine 
Itsence  itself  was  nbt  made,  nor  had  any  beginning, 
lit  existed  from  all  eternity.  —  For  if  Christ,  with 
sspect  to  his  divine  Essence,  had  begun  to  ^xist  at 
iy'time,  he  would  not  he  the  "image*'  of  the  divine 
tWtetancfe.''  Becaiise,  in  that  caise,  me  divine  £;ssenc^ 
mild  have  existed  long  before  him,  a^  being  from  all 
lismity,  and  would  be  a  somefthing  far  different,  to 
Aich  he  would  be  altogether  :unlike,  and  of  which  he 
wmld  by  no  m^ems  be  the  image.  For  the  divine 
Essence  is  eternal;  but  that,  whose  existence  has  a  bfe* 
Jnitiiig,  is  temporal.  And,  that  which  is  temporal,  anc! 
bat'which  is  eternal,  are  infinitely  (iifferent  from  each 
idi^r:  and  the  one  can  by  no  means  be  the  image  '4>f 
He  jother:  so  hr  is  it  'from  possibility,  that  the  one 
ktmld  ibe  the  image  of  the  substance  of  the  other. 

Therefore,  the  conclusion  or  sum,  and  the  true 
(leaning  of  this  passage  in  the  Epistle  to  die  Hebrews 
J  fliis,-^that  Christ  Jesus  is  the  true,  natural,  and  eter- 
al*Ood ;  not  made,  nor  icreated,  ^ut  existing  from  all 
!emity  another  and  distinct  Person  frt^n  tl^  Father; 
>t  another  God  from  ^the  Filther,  but  e^al  msto  him, 
idijof  the  One  same  eternal  divme  Essence.-*— This  is 
te  ^ith :  this  is  what  'faitib  ^teaches :  and  on  this  it  js 
[atxfatdi  stands:  Iimean  tliat  Christian  faith  whose 
ittifdation  is  the  Holy  Scripture ! 

But,  he  ^&at  will  iiot  believe  the  scripture,  but  will 
tt0iiir'his'*4)fW!^  reason,  let  him  follow  it  on  to  what  ex- 
titi  and  as  long  as,  he  pleases.  But,  if  he  will^^isten 
1 4B8lmoinition,  he  will  leave  that  ass  together  with' the 
HVflUte  in  ^ttie  bottom  of  the  valley,  as  Abraham  did, 
M;  it  ^^ascend  not  np  into  tiiis  mountain;  ^for,  a!s 
iMed^ttith,  whatsoev^  shall  touch  this  mountain  ahail 


be  iHiftly  piit  to  death  ;-^thou  knusf '  dtW 
perish!  This  Adam  experienced  first;  aiid  the  same- 
all  experience  after  him. 

nPHIS  Article  the  prophets  under  the  ( 
Testament  believed  also,  arid  clearly  ubd 
stood  :  and  though,  on  account  of  the  obstinacy,  m 
lief,  €tnd  malice  of  that  people,  they  did  not  deliver  it 
clearly  and  explicitly  as  it  is  revealed  in  the  New  Tai 
ment,  yet  they  set  it  forth  in.  a  manner  ' suffidei 
forcible. 

For,  first  of  all,  Moses  thus  begins  his  book,  " 
the  beginning  God  created  the  heaven  and  the  eail! 
Gen.  i.  1.  And  it  is  evident,  that  the  Word  eloihSs 
the  plural  number,  and  that,  not  one,  but  many  are  t 
nified.  So  that,  grammatically,  it  should  be  rendca 
thus,  "  In  the  beginning  Gods  created  the  heaveni  a 
the  earth.' — And  yet,  again,  as  he  does  not  say,  * 
the  beginning  Gods  created  (treaverunt)^  ais  if 'til 
T^rere  many,  but,  "  God  created  (crtavity  ias  if  it  w< 
one  only,  in  the  singular  number,  he  clearly  shews, ^ 
there  is  but  One  God  the  Creator.^ — Yet  again,  as 
says  Gods  (eloim),  he  shews  that  there  are  in  thatC 
divine  Essence  a  plural  number :  and  thereby,  he  gua 
our  faith,  that  we  should  not  believe  in  any  other  G 
out  of  the  Godhead,  but,  in  this  One  eternal  C 
only ;  and  yet,  that  we  should  learn,  that  there  ftn 
this  One  Godhead  more  than  onie  Person. 

Hence,  throughout  the  whole  scripture,  God 
called  Eloim;  that  is,  Gods.  And  hence,  this  sa 
term  is  applied  to  those  creatures  also  who  act  as  go 
as  \ii  Exod.  xxv.  and  Psalm  Ixxxii.  1,  "God  stand 
in  the  congregation  of  the  mighty,  he  judgeth  abK 
the  gods."    And  again,  "  I  said  ye  are  gods."/  .      . 

And  again,  Gen.  i.  26,  "  And  God  said  let  ti^M 
man  in  our  image,  after  our  likeness."  Here  C 
terms  himself  "  us."  He  does  not  say>  *  I  willidni 
as  if  he  were  one.  Though  he  speaks  in  the  latter  i 
in  general  every  where  else,  as  he  does  a  little  afi 
w»rds,  chap.  ii.  18,  wh^e  he  says,  "  I  "will  make  n 


§m  bdp  meet  for  faiai;**  he  does  not  here  sayi  *yWe 
prill  make  him  a  help  meet  for  him."  And  so  anip 
flifter  this,  ver.  xx.  ^^ The  Lord  Godcaiised  a  de^p  sleep 
io  faU  upon  Adam/'  &c« 

gi.  Tims  the  Scripture  continually  speaks  of  God  ss 
SOfne,  who  creates,  inakes,  and  does  all  things  akme; 
(pud  yet,  it  speaks  also  of  him  as  more  than  one,  who 
l^ys  when  speaking  of  himself  '^we''  and  ^^our,"  &c. 
||And  this  is,  that  it  might  shew  to  .those  who  beljeve, 
bat  there  is .  but  One  God ;  and  yet,  that  in  that  One 
r  Godhead  there  are  more  Persons  than  one. 
y  And  then,  chap,  iii,  22,  after  the  fall  of  Adam,  it  is 
^liid,  ^^  And  the  Lord  God  said  (diait,  as  if  he  wiere  one 
rOttly,)  Bdidd  the  man  is  become  as  one  of  t^,"  (as  if  he 
^ffere  moie  than  one.) 

^V  And  as  to  what  the  Jews  maliciously  object  here, — 
;^dmt  God  was  talking  with  die  angels  wh^  he:  said, 
f*  Let  us  make  man  in  our  image,"  that  is  absurd,  and 
not  at  all  to  the  purpose :  for  the  scripture  no  where 
^countenances  the  idea  that  the  angels  created  us  and  are 
:9ar  gods,  or  that  we  were  made  in  their  image,  or  that 
.we  should  worship  and  adore  them  as  gods,  or  be 
.caUed  their  creatures.  There  is  One  God  only,  and 
:Giie  Creator. 

And  still  more  absurd  is  their  labouring  and  sweating 
.  at  this  ^oss, — that  God  spoke  to  the  earth  when  he  said, 
!  '^  Let  us  make  man,"  because  we  were  made  of  the 
dust  of  the  earth*  Thou  errest,  O  blind  Jew  !  The  earth 
4id  not  make  us,  as  thy  gloss  would  expressly  declare ; 
i  nor  are  we  the  image  of  the  earth ;  for  the  earth  itself 
'.  18  subjected  to  the  service  of  man* 

Bat,  the  most  absurd  of  all,  is,  that  when  they  find 
'  tbemsdyes  manifestly  convicted  by  such  texts  as  these, 
diey  pretend'  that  God  is  speaking  of  himself,  and  ad- 
,  4rdB8es  himself  in  the  plurd  number  by  way  of  honour ; 
I  in  the  same  manner  as  kings  and  princes  at.  this  day 
ittptak  of  themselves  in  the  plural  number.  But  all  this 
ifi  a  new  invention  of  human  reason,  and  ne^er  used  by 
;«Miy  king  in  the  holy  scriptures^  nor  even  l^  any  heathen 
.  kaogs.    And  even  Goa  also  speaks  of  hiiQself  in  :th# 

VOL*  II.  *  S  B 


36^ 

singular  numbdt*  in  the  icripturfes^  and  iibt  ^alwa^  ia 

thid  plural.     '  '  .  ;  .ii, 

''    Aiid  thou^  such  idle  dreams  arid  seape^gaps^  jati^ 

vail  ever  so  much  among  men ; — must  I  thorefote  te 

fbtced  also  to  believe  the  Jews,  when  th^  rashly  affirm 

that  the  scriptures  should  be  so  understood  ?  and  espe^ 

cially^when  I  have  those  clear  scriptures  befor^  xdy-oma 

^j^  in  such  plain  and  expressive!  Words,  that'tiiey  bold 

Af '  €ibnsciehc6  so  captive,  that  I '  cbuld  Aot  believie  aii 

flfigel  fk>m  hea'^feni  that^  should '  a^firiii  any  thing  ttotlib 

contrary  !  —  What !   shall-  I  l6ttve  the    plain   text  of 

^ripttrre,'a.hd  rest  £md  build- itiy'heasrt  and  'cbnsdence 

VitoonthosiB  vain  and  -  futile  interprkations  of  the  Jews? 

Wnen  Mofies  hiittaelf  says  of  thettt,  that  they  wefe  a4* 

ways,  from  the  beginning,  a  disobedient,  stiff-Becked, 

Bnd  i^idous  p^le,  and  doulii  tievieir'  bear^  ta  hmr.  any 

t^  p¥^phet  th4t  taught^  tlietnitlil^Y^eftr/ these  sfioM 

^bUld  teach  me  t^  twist  euid  ihtet^ret  the^  dcriptaire'^iDid 

^hefprOphetstUJcdrding  to  their 'd(if^^  -    ..  -^   :    : 

-  •     But  AiSAiN,  MbseS'  w^ftftS^C^istf.  xviil.  l,  ^^JiiiAAt 

^Ijord  apjpeeu:^  unto  Abrahawin  the  plauis  of  Mamre": 

and  he  sat  in  the  tent-door; in  the  heat  of  the  day. 

And'he  lift  up  his  eyes  and  looked,  and  lo,\three:inen 

stood  by  him :  and  when  he  saw  them,  he  ran  to  in^et 

;th^in^  from  the  tent-door,  and  bowed  himself  towajrd  the 

•ginotind.    And -Said,  My  Loird,  if  how    I  have* found 

^Vciilr  in  t%  sight,  pass  not  away,  I  pray  Uheoy  ftoai 

'ifliiy  servant.  '>Let  a  little  waiter,  I  pray  yon,  bb  fetched, 

'  ai»  Wash'  yom  feet,*  arid  rest  yodtselves  under  the  tied," 

''i&:€f.»--^Here,  God  talks  with  Abraham,' and  Abraham 

with  God  in  both  wayi^'  both  ks  one  and  asifiiQtef  for 

'  h^  fffyk  both  '*  thee"  arid  "  you/'  And  yet :ihe*  tekt  ex- 

'  ;ly  says,  that  thi&  appearing  Or  vision  was  *^  tfee  Lonf* 

^)f,  wboi dppeated  to  AbtahacA  lafi  he  ^^^at  inodle 

:  l^nt^or  inthe  heat  of  the  dfty^    Fof  those;  two  ^«^cb, 

yifv'li6J^kh:kp.  xki -I,  came.^to  -StKlofti,  are  difi^rent'iroiD 

iiki^'  Three  it^ho^  talk  ^'ftiid  ^ekt  <  with  ^Abrahluai'  ais  Qae 

'  Gt)d ;  ad  ii^iiianifedt  fitmi^tbig^  whcde  of  j  ibat chfipter.Hi- 

^'H^r^^^ifi,  the  delirious  f^bik;a,f|d  ibavillihgs^  of;^ 

i'Je^s  avail  tiothing.  Fpr  the  text  i^  plainly  nlbarjvfiiich 


t  ■ 


ys^-that  it  was  the  **  Lord'?  who  =  ajpoeared^uttto^lfflB" 
jTImtcc  Persons;  and  that  he-T^'ordhiDbetf  t!^-^the§e 
ire&as  Obei   Therefore^  Abraham  fiafljlieife^  a  clifettf^ 
lowledge  of  the  Holy  Trinity ;  as  Christ  also  declares 
iha^iii.  56",  '  Abraham  saw  my  day.'  /^ 

. ::  Agaid;  Moses  writes  thus,  Deut  vi.  4,  "  Hear,  O 
raei;:the  Loid  our  6r<wfe  ijI  One  Lord/*--ThiS  alsois^ 
1  all-clear  text ;  shewing,  that  that  One  ♦  L6td  ^Whldl' 
ip[ie,^as  the  Jews  thernsdke^  well  know  is  never  '^tffr 
It iiujtoithe  One  trtie  God;)  is  *'  o«r'6rd&,'-  or  Etoiitf ; 
idrthat  there  IS  here  (^ly  Obe  God  in*  Essetitei'lnit 
3t  Three  Persons.  ^    - 

! ;  And  Jo^tta  ^also  said.  uhtO'  the  pe6f)le,  chap;  xxivi 
?,  *'  Ye  G^miotMservie-  the  Lord,  ifer  lie  is  %bhf  GodsP 
ferfe>  we  not  only  have  ^^^  6rod:j;"(EiiOiM,)  but;  '^'holy " 
io  :<  signi^ngy  that  tfaiere  are  more  thdti  Oii^  i^tod  y^ 
^JU^ydiatthe  li^rd  id  Oiie'God.  -       ' 

.  And  farther,  Diavid  in  his  prayer  to  God,  2  Sditii 
uSl3,.she^«^ft:  the  same  thing,  ^^  And  what  one'natibii 
»tthe  earth-  is  like  thy  people,  ^veii  like  Isr&el,  -wl^d^ 
qd  went  to  redeem^  for  a  jyeople  to  %itri3elf;^&c.-^ 
iimm  again  .'he  dafis  God  ^'Oods,"";'^Xi^'^'^i'''^^^^ 
9frunt,}  as  if  he  w^re  speaking  6f  mofe  thai^-cfeie. 
odyet,  he  inlmediately  'adds,*f^  feAet^^cyt  a  ped^e 
ito  ^*  himself ^''  as  if  it  were  one  only 'that  went.  And 
rain,,  which  thou-redeemedst  to  "  thee  '^  frorf'-E^jlfrt' 
':  Once. more  it  is  written,  Gen.  xix.  €4,'  **  Ttieh  the 
ord  rained  upon  Sodom  and  upon  Goihbrrah  briiS- 
one.  andrfire  'from'  the  Lord  oiit  of  heaviSn.'"-  Ahd 
^oharidh  iri.  X  **  Arid  the  'Lord  said  unto  Satan;  the 
ord  riebul^e- thee,  0  Satali.^— Here  the  Lord  is'TOiriing 
om  tbie)  Ldrdy '  and  the' L6rd  is  speakiiig  of  tMlJird; 
idi.thus  h^'is  li^pres^ted  as  One  only,  and  jfet,  4* 
[brelJmn  One* 

^JriAiid -hence  it'  is]  'thai  David-  eflso.  s4lth-  in  the 
iMdnis,if  The  Lor*  said  lihto- itiy  Lbrdj 'Sft  ^bii'dtPiiiy 
^ht  teoa.'V.Alnd^gttin,  Ps.  ii?6,  <^  Th6«  art>  J^  Sji^^ 
iiav)day:hawf:  I  -'^gotten  theei"  he  doe^  not^^i^, 
r/FHiu  Hmf  haver  I  cre^tM  thee/^  • 
o  iAoAiAsitWi  9L^  iltiittbQrlefdi^''OthiM*pass^^^ 

2  B  2 


Js[ow 


364      ' 

ttftture  b  Isaiah  and  the  i^^  of  the  prophets ;  wbm 
the  kinisdom  of  Christ  is  described  as  b^ins  equal  to  I' 

tfien,  if  the  Jews  are  so  virulent  as  to  p 
attempt  to  pervert  and  elude  these  and  y 
like  passages  of  the  scripture,  and  are  not  at  all  moved 
by  them,  their  virulence  amounts  to  nothing :  for  thdr 
contradictions  are  nothing  more  than  a  self-wrou^t 
persuasion  in  their  own  minds  without  any  scripture 
testimonies,  and  only  invented  for  the  purpose  of 
eluding  those  testimonies.  But  however,  here  stands 
the  all-plain  text  and  the  all-plain  scripture,  which  w31 
not  so  easily  suffer  themselves  to  be  perverted. 

And,  if  they  contend  from  the  testimonies  of  the 
scripture  that  there  is  but  One  God,  we  contend,  also 
with  equal  firmness  that  the  testimonies  of  the  scriptme 
are  no  less  clear  that  there  are  in  this  God  more  than 
one.  And  our  assertions  are  as  much  incontrovertible  as 
theirs;  seeing  that  no  one  letter  in  the  scriptures  is  written 
with  temerity  or  in  vain.    But  as  to  their  wanting  io 
take  upon  themselves  the  interpretation  of  the  scriptam 
which  are  on  our  side, — ^that  we  will  by  no  means  per- 
mit, nor  is  it  lawful  for  them  so  to  do.    It  is  the  scrip- 
ture of  God,  and  the  Word  of  God,  which  no  -^mair 
whatever  must  or  can  interpret  just  as  he  pleases. 
.  :    When  they  object  that  the  scriptures  teach^  that 
there  is  but  One  God,  this  we  also  simply  confess,  and 
:da  not  attempt  to  interpret  any  thing  to  the  contrary. 
But  when  we  affirm  that  the  same  scriptures  teach,  (as 
we  have  proved  fh>m  the  passages  aheady  adduced,) 
that  there  are  more  than  One  Person  in  the  Godhead, 
that  they  will  not  simply  confess,  but  want  to  set  about  |i 
interpreting  the  scriptures  for  themselves.     But  what 
*^  evU  spirit"  commanded  them  to  tack  on  their. inter- 
pretations, when  this  part  ii|  also  the  scripture^  of  God, 
as  well  as  that  part  whece  it  is  tau^t  that  there  is  bat 
One  God.    They  want  to  take  the  interpretation  of  0tf 
part  of  the  scripture  into  their  owji  hands,  and  will  not 
;  allow  us  to  interpret  their  part,  of  the  scriptures  in  oar 


\ 


way.  But,  rather,  let  no  interpretations  be  Utcl^ed  pn  ^; 
eitfaer  part  of  the  scriptures:  but  let  all,  as  we  dp^ 
simply  confess,  that  there  is  but  One  God;  and  yet^ 
that  there  are  in  that  One  Godhead  more  than  one 
Person;  for  both  these  things  the  scriptures  teach. — 
Bat  let  what  has  been  thus  said  upon  the  subject 
suffice  for  the  present  occasion. 


THE  NICENE  CREED. 

We  will  now  add  to  the  end  of  these  Three  Creeds 
die  Nicene  Creed :  which  also,  like  that  of  Athanasius, 
is  composed  against,  Arius,  and  is  sung  in  the  service  of 
each  Sabbath-day.    It  is  thus, 

I  BELIEVE  in  God  the  Father  Almighty;  Maker 
i^ heaven  and  earthy  and  of  all  things  visible  and  in- 
'  nsible. 

And  in  One  Lord  Jesus  Christy  the  only  begotten 
Son  of  God:  begotten  of  his  Father  before  all 
ioorlds :  God  of  God :  light  of  light :  very  God  of 
Pery  God:  begotten  not  made:  being  of  one  substance 
with  the  Father:  by  whom  all  things  were  made; 
who  for  us  men  and  for  our  salvation  came  down 
from  heaven :  and  was  incarnate  by  the  Holy  Ghost 
of  the  Virffin  Mary :  and  wa>s  made  Man :  and  was 
erucijied  also  under ^  Pontius  Pilate:  Me  suffered 
4Mnd  was  buried:  and  the  third  day  he  rose  again  ac^ 
cording  to  the  Scriptures :  and  ascended  into  heaven^ 
and  sitteth  on  the  right  hand  of  God  the  Father : 
and  he  shall  come  again  with  glory  to  judge  both  the 
quick  and  the  dead:  whose  kingdom  shall  have  no 
ind. 

And  I  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost ^  the  Lord  and 
giver  of  life :  who  proceedeth  from  the  Father  and 
the  Son :  who  with  the  Father  and  the  Son  together 
It  worshipped  and  glorified:  who  spake  By  the 
prophets. 

And  I  bdieve  in  one  catholic  and  apostolic 
church  :  I  acknowledge  one  baptism  for  the  remimon 


3^ 

tm  m  Hfe  6f  tk&  world  t'octmei    Ameitl    '  ^: 

•I  sh^l  here  bring  nothing  forward  out  of  the  New, 
Testainetit :  for  therein  are  found  alUclear  and  iall- 
qeiteuti  testidiohies  concerning  the  Holy  Trinity  :,  wWch 
in  the  Old  Testament  is  not  iso  plainly  and  conspi- 
cuously set  forth,  though  it  is  there  demonstrated  also 
with  a  sufficient  force  of  evidence. 

FINIS. 


AN 

EXPLANATION 

OF 

THE    APOSTLES'    CREED.. 

.  There  are  in  the  Apostles'  Creed  Three  Heads ; 
evQn  as,  the  Three  Persons  of  the  Holy  Trinity  are 
therein .  enumerated.  The  First  Head  refers  to  the 
Father,  the  Second  to  the  Son,  and  the  Third  to  the 
Holy  Ghost.  And,  the  article  concerning  the  Holy 
Trinity  is  the  most  important  of  all  the  articles  of  th« 
Christian  faith;  upon  which  all  the  other  articles 
depend.  * 

iyioreover,  we  are  first  of  all,  and  before  all  things, 
tp,be  i'eminded,  that  there  are  two  ways  of  believing. 
The  one,  when  I  believe  that  .God  is,  and  know  that 
those  things  are  true  which  are  spoken  of  him.  In  the 
same  npanner  as  I  know  that  those  things  are  true 
which  are  said  of  thib  Turk,  of  the  devil,  or  of  hell.  But 
this  kind  of  faith  should  be  called  a  certain  indefinite 
knowledge,  or  opinipn,  rather  than  faith. 

The  other  way  of  believing  is  when  I  believe  in 
God :  that  is,  when  I  not  only  believe  that  those 
things  which  are  said  of  him  are  true,  but  when  I  place 
all  my  trust  and  hope  in  him,  and  so  stay  my  mind 
upqn  him  as.  to  have  no  doubt  of  his  gracious  good-will 
toward  me ;  and  when  I  moreover  believe,  that  he  will 


1 


m 

orform  all  tbioae  thiogskin  loe  whieh  ^e  g)x>rious}y»  slod 
ndvproclahned  oi  him.  This  is  a  faj*- different  rj^uu)  -Qi 
ebeviDg  from  the  former.  Xhi$  is<  the  fp^div^hiebf 
kme,  in  every  peril , of  life,  and. in. <J^yeiy -hour; vof 
saitb,  still  firmly:  p^iisuadeB:  thetjaiiWj  that  all  tbQS^' 
aings  are  true  which  the  sacred  scriptures  say  f)f  God*: 
liis  is  the  faith  that  makes  a  man  a  Christen :  .1^,- 
whatever  such  an  one  asks  of  God  he  .has.  It  is  imppsr^ 
ible  that  this  faith  should  be  in  the  heart  of  any  impure 
lan  or  hypocrite.  And  this  is  the  faith  th^.t  is  cpni- 
landed  in  the  First  Precept,  when  it  is  said,  "  I  am; 
le  Lord  thy  God,  Thou  shalt  have  none  c*her  gods 
ut  me." 

Therefore  the  particle  in  here  is  not  an  unmeaning 
ord  or  sound.  It  is  this  that  we  are  e&pecifeilly  lOilook 
K  For  it  is  one  thing  to  say  I  believe  God  the 
ather,  or,  I  believe  concerning  God  the  Fatbet-,  tad 
lite  another  thing  to  say  I  believe  in  God  the^Father^ 
I  Jesus  Christ,  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  We  should 
lerefore  by  no  means  lightly  regard ;this  particle  in. ..:'-' 
-  And,  as  this,  faith  or  trust  of  heart  cai^  be  set  in  no 
le  but  in  God,  and  yet,  as  this  same  faith  and  tniji^t  of 
3art  are  set  in  Jesus  Christ  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost 
so,  it  is  a  conclusive .  proof,  that  Jesus  Christ  and  the 
[oly  Ghost,  are  of  the  one  same  Divinity  as  God  the 
ather.  For  as  the  same  faith  is  set  equally  in  all 
hree  Persons,  they  are  therefore  all  of  equal  Divinity. 


THE  FIRST 
ARTICLE   OF    THE   CREED 

CONCERNING 

THE    CREATION. 

/  believe  in  God  the  Father  Almighty^  maker,,  of 
'jjLven  and  earth. — That  is,  ■      .. . 

I  renounce  all  eyit  spirits,  idolatries,  magic  artd,  jeUmL 
erj  thing :that  arises  out  of. unbelief. -r*tl  setimy  h&pt 


and  fruftt  in  no  man;  nor  even  in  myseil;! n^  po«i«^* 
my  learning,  my  wisdom,  my  righteousness,  my  fortmie^: 
nor  any  thing  that  belongs  to  me. — I  trust  in  no  creiii*. 
tore  either  in  heaven  or  in  earth. — I  commit  myself 
nnto,  and  I  believe  in,  the  One  invisible  God  only,  the 
maker  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  the  Lord  of  all  crea- 
tures. And  I  do  not  fear  the  arts  and  deceptions  of  all  the 
evil  spirits  together :  for  my  God  is  greater  than  them  all, 
and  Ihey  are  all  under  Ihs  command.  And  though  all 
men  should  forsake  and  even  persecute  me ;  neverthe- 
less, I  have  all  m^  hope  and  confidence  set.  in  God. 

Nor  shall  my  poverty,  nor  my  ignorance,  nor  any 
want  of  righteousness,  nor  even  the  contempt  of  all, 
hinder  me  from  believing.  Nor  shall  my  sins  turn  aside 
my  faith.  For  my  faith  is  far  above  all  these  things.  It 
rises  above  sins,  worthiness,  and  unworthiness,  and  all 
such  things,  and  nakedly  hangs  on  God  alone :  as  the 
first  precept  demands  of  me  tnat  it  should  do. 

Nor  will  I  ask  any  signs  of  God,  nor  at  all  tempt 
him  by  so  doing.  I  trust  steadily  in  him,  however  long 
it  may  be  before  he  fulfils  all  my  desires.  Nor  will  I 
set  him  any  limits,  measure,  or  time.  I  leave  all  to  his 
divine  will  and  pleasure  as  being  full  of  mercy  :  being 
firmly  pei^uaded  that  he  will  fill  me  with  all  blessings. 

Ahnighty. 

Since  therefore  he  is  Almighty,  what  is  there  that  I 
can  long  want,  when  all  things  are  in  his  hand  and 
power. 

Maker  of  heaven  and  earth. 

As  he  is  the  Creator  and  Lord  of  heaven,  earth, 
and  all  things,  who  can  hurt  me  or  take  any  thing  from 
me?  Nay,  when  I  am  in  his  favour  whom  all  things 
obey,  all  creatures  cannot  but  promote  and  work  my 
good. — And  moreover,  ajs  he  is  God,  he  knows  how,  and 
is  able,  to  deal  with  me  in  that  way  which  shall  be  best 
and  the  most  to  my  profit.  And,  as  he  is  Father,  his 
-will  is  that  my  good  should  always  be  considered  by 
him :  nor  is  there  any  work  that  he  so  willingly  under- 


JW9 

tfdk^  «l  to  M^  m^. — ^^And  ftilfier;  as  I  cKnibt  tiei^ift 
dU^  cdboenrfDg  mil  th^se  tfanigs^  and  as  I  rest  all  m'< 
hcip^  and  trust  in  him,  I  am  persuaded,  that  I  am  hf 
B&ik  and  his  servant,  and  that'  the  inheritance  sIn(U 
come  unto  me.  And  in  a  word,  ais  I  bdieve  so  is'  it 
done  unto  me. 


THE  SECOND  ARTICLE  CONCERNING 

JUSTIFICATION. 

And  in  Jesus  Christ  his  only  San  our  Lord. — 
That  is, 

I  not  only  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  true  and 
only  Son  of  God,  who,  as  he  wias  begotten  from  all 
eternity,  is  of  the  same  eternal  and.  divine  nature  and 
substance  with  God  the  Father.  But  I  believe  this 
also, — ^that  the  Father  liath  given  all  things  into  hi^ 
power ;  and  that,  with  respect  to  his  Humanity  also,  he 
is  Lord  of  all  those  things  which  he  created  together  with 
the  Father  in  his  Divinity. 

I  believe,  that  there  is  no  way  of  access  whatever 
unto  the  Fadier,  nor  any  believing  in  him,  neither  by 
learning,  ncwr  by  works,  nor  by  human  reason,  nor  by 
any  creature  either  in  heaven  or  in  earth ;  but  that 
Jesus  Christ  only  is  the  "  way "  by  which  we  come 
unto  the  Father ;  and  that,  that  way  is  found  by  be- 
lieving in  the  name  of  Christ,  and  in'  the  kingdom  which 
he  holds. 

Who  was  conceived  of  the  Holy  GhosL 

I  firmly  believe,  that  he,  for  my  sake,  was  con- 
ceived by  the  Holy  Ghost,  without  any  seed  of  man  ; 
that  he  might  purirj^  my  impure,  sinful,  and  damnable 
conception,  and  that  of  all  who  believe  in  him ;  and  that 
he  might,  through  the  mercy  of  himself  and  ^e  Father, 
beget  *us  again  entirely  anew. 

Born  of  the  Virgin  Mary. 
I  believe  also  that,  for  my  sake,  he  was  bom  of  the 


m 

0ji»e4,  tbaV  by  tbat, means,-,  he  sl^MilijlipM^jci^ifRj  4m 
dppBnedaad.sinfuLJjHilit/and'^  b«Jii^«iiB 

ijiiQ,'  andtiuit  be  should  bless;it,.t)mt.itrfmght;  be.-AQ 
hinderance  to  our  salvation.  ■    1  , ,  •  <  1 

Suffered  under  Pofitius  Pilate. 

I  believe  that  he  underwent  his  'sufferings  and  the 
cross  for  my  sins,  and  the  sins  of  aU  who  believe  ;  and 
that  by  his  sufferings  he  has  made  all  our  afflictions 
pleasing  unto  God ;  and  that  now,  they  not  only  do  not 
hinder  our  salvation,  but  bring  us  under  his  saving  and 
all-full  promises. 

Was  crucified^  dead,  and  buried. 

,1  believe  that  he.  died  and  was. buried,   tbat  he 
might  make  an  end  of,  and  bury,  my  sins  and  the  sins 
of  all  those  who  believe ;  and  that  he  might  take  away    i 
this  death  of  our  body,  and  make  it,  from  being  an  ^, 
profitable  and  the  greatest  blessing.  . : 

He  descended  into  hell. 

I  believe  that  he  descended  into  hell,  that  he  mig)it 
overcome  and  subdue  under  himself  Satan,  together 
with  all  his  powers  and  devices,  that  he  might  have  no 
more  power  to  hurt  me  nor  any  other  that  believes  ; 
and  that  he  might  deliver, me  from  the  torments  of 
Tiell;  which  are  no  longer  hurtful,  but,  by  being  felt, 
bring  the  godly  within  the  reach  of  the  greatest  pro- 
mises. , 

The  third  day  he  rose  again  from  the  dead. 

I  believe  that  he  rose  again  the  third  day  from  the 
.dead  for  the  salvation  of  me  and  .of  all  that  .believe, 
that  we,  being  quickened  by  his  spirit-^and  grace, 
might  enter  into  a  new  life,  and  might  not  live  in  sio, 
but  serve  him  alone  in  holiness  of  life,  and  fulfil  his 
commandments. 


-,  \ 


371 

•  •••••        »      •  ■.    •    . 

'^    He  aschided into  h(^ven.  '■/'''' 

I  believe  that  h^  ascended  into  heaven  ^afKLrre^oiv^ 
r.  the ;  Father  ^glory  and  power  oyer  al}  aAgelsi  tajA 
•eatures. 

And  sitteth  an  the  right  hand  of  God  the  Father 
Imighty,  .  .  , 

; .  I  believe  that;  he  sits  al^  at  ther;r|ght  h§nd  of  God  ; 
\§fiis,  that  he  is  inade  King)  a^nd>  Lord  :(^¥^^^  all'the 
orks  of.God.lhat  are  in.  heaven,'  on  .earth,  ^aind  in;^^;^ 
^  that  he  can  therefore  be;  .at  band  (o-suCi^ppr'me-ami 
i  others  who  believe,  against  all  our  adversaries  and 
lemies.  -  .  . 

From  thence  he  shall  come  to  Judge  the  guick  afid 
\ededd, 

I  believe  that  he  shall  come  from  th^ne^  in  the.  last 
ay  to  pronounce  sentence  both  on  the  living  who  re- 
lain,  and  on  the  dead  who  died  before.  And  I  believe 
Iso,  that  all  men,  all  angels,  and  all  devils  also,  shall 
and  before  his  tribunal  and  behold  him  face  to  face, 
^nd  that  all  these  things  shall  be  done,  that  ;he  might 
\T,  ever  deliver  me  and  all  who  believe  from  death  and 
v^pi.all  other  calamities  of  every  kind  :  and  that  he  may 
dte  eternal  vengeance  on  his  adversaries,  from  whose 
granny  we  shall  then  be  free  for  ever. 


THE  THIRD  ARTICLE  CONCERNING 

SANCTIFICATION. 

/  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost. 

.That  is,  I  not  only  believe  that  the  Holy  .Ghost  is 
Fod  together  with  tlie  Father  and  the  Son;,  but  I  be- 
evie  this  also, — that  there  is  no  way  unto  the  Father 
m)ugh  the. life,  sufferings,  and  death  of  Christ,  but  by 
le  leading  and  governing  of  the. Holy  Ghost.  ,  It  is  by 
\m  that  God  the  Father  and  the  Son  quicken^  call, 
iove,  and  drkw  me  and  all  who  believe.    It  is  he  *  ^ho 


through  Christ  and  in 'Christ  gives  us  itfe,  and  aanctifiei 
us  that  we  may  come  unto  the  Father.  It  is  this  S.pint 
by  whom  the  Father  works  all  his  works  in' us  thr6a|^ 
and  in  Christ,  and  by  whom  he  administers  unto  us  life;' 

The  Holy  Catholic  Church. 

I  believe  that  there  is  but  one  holy  church  of 
Christians  throughout  the  whole  world :  that  is,  a  com- 
pany or  united  multitude  of  saints,  or  ririiteous  and  be- 
lieving men :  and  that  the  same  is  garnered  tc^ether, 
sanctified,  and  governed,  by  the  same  Holy  Ghost ;  and 
enlarged  and  increased  aaily  by  means  of  the  word 
and  sacraments. 

I  believe  that  no  one  can  be  saved  who  is  not  of  tKs 
company  of  believing  men;  who  does  not  think  the 
same  as  they  do,  and  who  does  not  profess  the  same 
[ospel,  sacraments,  hbpe,  and  charity.  And  that  no 
few,  Gentile,  heretic,  or  sinner,  will  be  saved,  unless  be 
be  brought  into  this  church  by  grace,  be  reconciled 
unto  it,  and  think,  do,  and  teach,  the  same  as  it  does. 

The  communion  of  Saints. 

I  believe  that  in  this  company  of  saints  all  things 
are  common,  and  that  no  one  has  any  thing  that  is  his 
OYm  :  and  that,  therefore,  all  the  godly  prayers,  all  the 
good  works  of  others  are  for  my  profit,  and  defend  and 
establish  me  at  all  times,  whether  I  be  living  in  safety, 
or  whether  I  be  at  the  point  of  death :  and  that  thus,  the 
one  bears  the  burthen  of  the  other,  as  Paul  admonishes 
them  to  do. 

The  forgiveness  of  sins. 

I  believe  that  the  remission  of  sins  is  no  where  to  be 
found  but  among  that  company  of  saints.  I  believe  also, 
that  no  works,  how  great  and  splendid  soever  they  may 
be,  can  profit  any  thing  towards  the  remission  of  sins, 
if  thou  be  found  out  of  this  company.  Even  as,  on  the 
contrary,  if  thou  be  of  this  company,  there  are  no  sins 
or  crimes,  however  great,  but  will  find  remission.  And 
that  remission  of  sins  is  eternal.    For  when  Christ  deli- 


37S 

led  the  k^s  to  his  church,  he  saidi^  •'  Verily  I  say 
ito  yoUy  Whatsoever  ye  shall  bind  on  earth,  shall  be 
»and  in  heaven,"  Matt,  xviii.  18.  And  he  said  unto 
eter  separately,  who  was  therein  a  type  of  the  one  holy 
hur^h,  ^^  Whatsoever  thou  shalt  bind  on  earth,  shall 
i  bound  in  heaven,"  Matt  xvi.  19. 

The  resurrection  of  the  body. 

I  believe  that  there  will  be  a  resurrecticm  of  the 
Bttd :  in  which  this  same  Holy  Ghost  will  raise  up  all 
Bsh :  that  is,  all  men  according  to  the  body  and  flesh, 
cith  godly  and  ungodly :  and  so,  that  the  same  flesh 
hich  died,  was  buried,  putrified,  and  consumed  in 
Eurious  ways,  shall  return  to  life  and  live  again. 

And  the  life  everlasting. 

I  believe  that,  after  that  resurrection,  there  will  be 
n  eternal  life  of  the  righteous,  and  an  eternal  death  of 
ne  wicked. — And,  I  hold  no  doubt,  that  all  those  things 
rhich  I  have  recounted  will  take  place  through  ^the 
•"ather,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.  And  therefore  there  is 
dded,  Amen :  that  is,  these  things  are  certain,  and  will 
arely  thus  come  to  pass. 


FINIS. 


V.   \ 


m  9 


■••1 
«    ■  .    1     /      1 


« 


•       .  i  • 


*  ■ 


Mattin  iBLUtbev^^ 


EXPLANATION 


OP 


THE    LORDS    PRAYER, 

FOR   THE 

SIMPLE  AMONG  THE  PEOPLE. 


li 


il 


3Z7 


preface; 


tH£R£  was  no  need  that  my  Expositions  and  .Sep|m>nl 
ihould  be  every-where  spread  abroad  jfchroughout  t^ 
Krhole  worldy  as  there  were  so  many  books  in  our 
aands,  that  were  so  useful  and  proper  to  be  set  bpfpre 
the  people.  But  I  know  not  by  what  permission  o^  Goj 
it  is  that  it  has  fallen  to  my  lot,  that  my  words  should 
be  every  way  caught  hold  of  and  handed  abput;  by 
some  through  fiienaship,  and  by  others  through  enmity,; 
Wherefore  a  certain  coincidence  of  circumstances  in*- 
duced  me  to  publish  abroad  also  this  my  little  Com* 
MENTARY  on  the  Lord's  Prayer;  which  before  was 
|Hit  into  the  hands  of  a  few  friends  only,  who  were:  good 
men.  And  this  I  now  do,  that  I  might  the  more,  fully 
make  known  my  sentiments,  and^  if  possible,  .s^)r,vb 
those  also  who  are  my  rivals :  for  it  w^as  always, pay 
maxim  to  profit  all,  and  injure  no  one»  ^,.  \r.. 


A     t#^ 


0-  '<* 


When  the  disciples  of  Christ  asked  him  that  he 
would  teach  them  how  to  pray ;  he  said,  Matt.  vL  7-^9, 
"When  ye  pray,  use  not  vain  repetitions  as  the  heathen 
do:  for  they  think  that  they  shall  be  heard  for  their 
much  speaking.  Be  not  ye  therefore  like  unto  them : 
for  your  heavenly  Father  knoweth  w  hat  things  ye  have 
Deed  of  before  ye  ask  him.  After  this  manner  thereJEbfe 
pray  ye, 

Our  Father  which  art  in  heaven^  hallowed  be,  tfijf 
name. 

From  these  words  of  Christ,  we  lejEum  both  t|^ 
wards  and  the  manner:  that  is,  how  w^  P^^t tp,pray 
and  what  we  ou^t  to  pray  for.  -,  .■■.       .  ,    .0.; 

VOL.  If.  2  c 


•^ 


578 

And  FIRST,  concerning  the  manner  in  which  we 
ought  to  pray.  This  manner  is, — that  we  pray  in  few 
words,  but  with  a  true  and  deep  sense  or  feeling  sen- 
sation. The  fewer  the  words  th/e  inpre  real  the  prayer. 
And,  the  more  the  words,  the  less  real  the  prayer*  To 
pray  with  a  few  words  and  with  a  deep  sensation,  is  to 
pray  as  a  Christian.  But,  to  pnty  in  many  words  and 
with  little  sensation,  is  to  pray  as  n  heathen;  Therefore^ 
Christ  saith,  "  WTien  ye  pray,  wse  not  vain  repetitloitt 
fe  the  heathen  do.**  And,  John  iv.  23,  he  saith,  "  Thi 
true  worshippers  shall  worship  the  Father  in  spirit  and 
ftt  truth,  for  Ae  Father  seeketh  such  to  worship  him."— 
And  the  prayer  **  in  spirit,"  or  spiritual  prayer,  te  here 
ibetitioned'  in  contradistinction  to  that  which  is  bodily  I 
6nly  :  and  the  prayer  "  in  truth  "  to  that  which  is  oi^ 
in  feigned  words.  For  feigned,  or  bodily  prayer  is  fliaf 
ekteteal  murmuring  or  rehearsing  which  is  perifonhed'by 
the  mouth  only  wimout  any  feeling  sensation  :  it-  is  S6ai 
Witwardly  by.  man,  and  is  performed  by  the  bodih 
nf^puth,  but  is  not  prayer  "  in  truth,"  But  spiritod 
prayer  is  prayer  "  in  truth,"  and  is  that  inward  desire, 
^x)iin,  and  expectation  which  proceed  from  the  heart 
ifce  former,  makes  a  vain  and  ^cure  spirit ;  the  latter, 
makes  a  man  a  saint  and  a  fearing  son  of  God.  —  Bot 
we  may  here  observe  the  different  kinds  of  external 
prayer. 

^  Th^Jirstj  ii^.that  which  i^  of  mere  obedience  t  like 
l^bat  of'^.  priests  and  mQijikS;  wheu  they  sing  and 
p^y,  and  pe^c^rm [their  enjoined  penance. aad  devoted 
jfMindif  of  prayers. 

T|ie .  second^  is  that  which  is  without  ob^ienc^ 
My,  even,  against  the  will,  and  which  is  heartily  ni^T 
^Bf^at^jand  is. performed  either  for  the  sake  of  mouey^ 
honour,  or  applause.  Such  prayer  had  far  better  Jbie 
left  alone  altogether  than  to  be  thus  bawled  forth  merely 
lor  the  sake  of  getting  a  little  pecuniary  gain,  worldly 
property,  or  temporal  honodr,  with  which  things;  Grda 
t<Bwdrd&  hts  bond-servants,  not  his  s6ns. 

Hie  <»»rrf,  is  that  which  is  attendedwith  alteiitfi* 
lensatioQ.  Then,  the  external  form  of  words  C^Mel 


tftith,  tmd  tlie  extehitd  act  uh  imernal  eisei^Cfsi^.  fi^-it^ 
thc!  internal  "  truth  "  expressed-  oatwardiy;^  liiid' i^hui^ 
fbrth'ih  the  external  form.    But  it  cainkyt'be  tKcft  ^bH  ■ 
praying  thus  spiritually  and  inwardly  itttMild  uj^  nlftiiy'' 
lirprds :   for  while  the  mind   is  attbhdfiig  to  Df4iat  is 
spoken;  and  employing  its  thoughts  in  an  attehtioiTUf 
words  arid  things,  it  finds  the  neci^ssity,  either  of  diaW!*^ 
garding  the  words  and  attending  to  the*  feelings,  or,  on 
Bie  contrary,  of  disregarding  the  fselings  and  attending 
to  the  words.  And  therefore^  the§e  verbal  prayers  are  to 
be  understood  and  considered  no  farther  than  as  \>^iQg 
contain  incitements  and  exhortations'  to  stir  hs  txpio  2l 
(baling  sense  of,  and  to  draw  out  the  afflfectlGn'  of  t!^* 
Itid '.  after,  those  things  which  the  Wbrds"  contaih.-^^ 
enceit  is,  that  rftb^t  of  the  Psalm*  haVe  this  IriscHp^' 
«ori  or  Title,^' Of  Victory,'  *  Hfellelujih/ &c:  TrtudH,': 
althoogh  they  be  expressecl  in  fef#' words,  yet  they  airfe^ 
designed  to  stir  up  and  quicken  the  mind  =tb' the/ medi*' 
tating  oh,  and  desiring  of,  something  g(>6d. — ^^Ahd.soiki'e' 
of  tike  Psalms  also  arie  divided  into  different  parts  bjjf^' 
the  mark^-\totd  ^  Sek ! '  which  signifies  ^  rest,'  ancF.'is* 
rfeither  read  nor  sung,  but  is  intended 'tSble "as ^a  wbrd'oT 
admonition,  whereby  the  people,  wheref  a!Hy*thirig  patH-^' 
cularly  worthy  of  notice  occurs,  are'desittid  to'st6p  oif* 
refet  for  a  time,  and  omit  the  rieh^atfeal  \*Me  ttiiy'^p^iHii! 
formeditatibii.  '         .-».': 

But  SECONDLY,  we' have  here  the  tr(>rfli^;in"  whJt^ 
Ve'oaght  to  pray.  The  word^  stb  theSfe,  f^  'Giir^Faihet^ 
^hich  art  in  h'eaVien,^'  &c. — As  this  Prayer  hsfiits  an§tt 
from  Christ,  it  ought  undoubtedly  to  be 'ccfiMstfdeted 'tro' 
greatest,  most  exceUent,, and  best  of  all  prayers;  for  if 
Uiat  mqst  perfect  and  faithful  Master  had  known  any 
ptliyer'tfiat  wks  fcfet<er,he  certainly  would  have  taught  it 
AAV  Not  that  Ware  to  understand  by  this;  that  otheif* 
yftf^^  Which  aj*  not  after  this  forth  of  Wcdfds  are'baif/ 
S^Ca4^/  very'inAny  saints  put  up  praypfei  befcJiie^  '-flil^ 
M^^  of  ^Chrfsfwhb  hkd  neVer  heard  of  these  woWs^at* 
iai;'  ;Biflf ktf  JChd^;i)jrayei^  are  to.  bfe'  suspected  whicli^db? 
fi6t -cdiflaSi  ^  eftArtdfe'^the  inward  spii*;  dJeSm^i^ 
fmi^Stt  trf'this-pA^tefJ    TM^,^  «t  thV  P^ffiy^fe^ 

Jc2 


S80 

ptoyers;  which,  though  they  do  not  so  exactly  expreu 
thepeottliarity  of  this  prayer,  yet  they  embrace  all  ibi 
substance.  But  they  err  who  consider  any  other  prayen 
equal  to  this  Prayer,  or  prefer  them  to  it 

This  Prayer  then  is  divided  into  two  parts.  The 
FIRST  is  the  Preface^  or  the  Beginning,  or  a  certain 
Preparation.    The  second  contains  Seven  Petitions. 

THE  BEGINNING. 

Our  Father  which  art  in  heaven^ 

This  certainly  is  a  most  excellent  beginning  or  pre- 
paration, whereby  we  are  led  to  know,  how  he  to 
whom  we  are  about  to  pray  should  be  named,  ho- 
noured, and  addressed ;  and  how  every  person  should 
approach  him,  that  he  may  be  gracious  and  inclined  to 
l5»r. — Of  all  the  names  of  God,  therefore,  there  is  no 
oiie,  the  using  of  which  renders  us  more  acceptable 
unto  him,  than  that  of  Father :  and  it  is  a  most  lovely, 
sweet,  and  deeply  comprehensive  name,  and  full  of 
inental  affection.  It  would  not  be  so  sweet  and  con- 
soling to  say  *  Lord,'  or  *  God,'  or  ^  Judge ;'  because,  the 
Dame  of  Father  (in  natural  things)  is  ingrafted  in  us, 
and  is  naturally  sweet.  And  for  this  reason  the  same 
name  is  pleasing  unto  God,  and  greatly  moves  him  to 
hear  us.  And  also,  it  brings  us  into